PLA Helicopter's Extended Flight in Taiwan Strait Raises Concerns of Rehearsed Operation

A People’s Liberation Army helicopter’s unprecedented flight in the Taiwan Strait has raised concerns in Taipei that Beijing is rehearsing a new kind of operation for a potential cross-strait conflict. Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected four PLA aircraft, including a helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), operating around the island on July 20 and the following morning. The helicopter and drone crossed the median line and remained east of it for nearly 9.5 hours in the “R9” area – which Taiwan has designated as restricted – the first publicly reported case of a PLA helicopter lingering there for an extended period. The median line is an unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait that divides the self-ruled island and mainland China. The ministry said it closely monitored the aircraft using joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and responded appropriately. Military analysts, however, said the flight might signal a new operational pattern. “This should not be viewed as an isolated flight,” said Chieh Chung, a research fellow at the Association of Strategic Foresight, a Taipei-based military think tank.