PLA drone enters Dongsha airspace for first time, signaling pressure on Taiwan, expert says

A People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) drone entered the airspace of the Dongsha Islands for the first time, marking another pressure test by China against Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated on Jan. 17 that a Chinese surveillance and reconnaissance drone entered the airspace over Dongsha Islands (Pratas Island) in the early hours of the same day. 

According to the MND, the drone was flying at an altitude beyond the range of local air-defense weapons, and after Taiwan issued warnings via international radio channels, it departed the area four minutes later. 

The MND also released a strongly worded statement saying the PLA’s actions were highly provocative and irresponsible, had harmed regional peace and stability, violated international law, and would be widely condemned. It added that Taiwan’s military will remain on high alert, closely monitor the situation, and respond in accordance with standard procedures during periods of routine combat readiness.

The Dongsha Islands are in the northern part of the South China Sea and have about 1.7 square kilometers of land above water. They lie southwest of Taiwan and southeast of Hong Kong, in a key location between the Taiwan Strait and major shipping routes in the northern South China Sea.

After Taiwan lodged a protest, China’s state media Xinhua News Agency reported that Tian Junli (田軍里), a senior colonel of the PLA Air Force and spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, stated that in recent days the Southern Theater Command had organized drones to conduct “normal flight training” in airspace near China’s Dongsha Island, describing the activity as completely legitimate and lawful.

Beijing’s intent

Dr. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), Director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), told TCN that the use of drones carries greater political significance than military significance for China. 

Su said Beijing is primarily using this move to assert sovereignty, as a single drone cannot capture Dongsha or produce any decisive military outcome, indicating that the political message outweighs military considerations.

Dongsha as a target?

Dr. Su stated that, based on publicly available information, this is the first time a China’s military drone has entered the airspace of the Dongsha Islands, and it appears to be a deliberate test by Beijing.

2026 is a local election year in Taiwan. The question arises whether the Dongsha Islands could become a focal point for Beijing to impose political pressure against Taiwan, with actions such as encirclement or occupation.

Dr. Su noted that in 2020, when President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was seeking re-election, media reports speculated that China might seize the Dongsha Islands as a form of pressure. That scenario ultimately did not materialize.

However, according to Su’s assessment, China is unlikely to take more aggressive actions in 2026, but will continue this type of harassment. 

Su said that even if China were to occupy Dongsha, it would only warn Taiwan and highlight China’s aggressive behavior to the international community, which would be harmful to Beijing, so its greatest advantage lies in continued harassment and creating tension rather than outright occupation.

In this context, given that this year is a local election year in Taiwan, China may resort to high-intensity gray-zone operations, Su added.

Why Dongsha matters

After World War II, the Dongsha Islands were placed under the administration of the Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name). Taiwan long stationed Marine Corps forces there, but since 2018, responsibility for defense and garrison duties has been transferred to the Coast Guard Administration.

Dr. Su explained that the Dongsha Islands function as a strategic pivot between the Taiwan Strait and the Bashi Channel.

From a military perspective, according to INDSR research, the Dongsha Islands hold at least the following values, including posing a threat to PLA naval and air operations southwest of Taiwan, monitoring Chinese military aircraft and vessels operating in the South China Sea and the Bashi Channel, and helping build regional consensus among neighboring countries regarding China’s threats in the South China Sea.

Beyond their geographic importance, Dr. Su added that the surrounding seabed may contain potential resources such as natural gas or oil, which could hold significant value for Taiwan.

Strengthening Dongsha’s defenses

This time, the PLA drone flew outside the range of Dongsha’s air-defense weapons, leaving Taiwan only able to issue radio warnings to drive it away.

Dr. Su said that Dongsha consists of flat reef terrain, making it easy to attack but difficult to defend, though it serves an important surveillance role for the Bashi Channel and surrounding areas.

He added that large drones like this are relatively easy to detect by radar and shoot down, and if one were to approach within four kilometers of Dongsha, it could potentially be taken down by Stinger missiles.

Dr. Su suggested that if Taiwan’s NT$1.25 trillion (approximately US$40 billion) special defense budget is approved, Taiwan could consider deploying the longer-range Sky Sword II (Tien Chien II) surface-to-air missile system on Dongsha, which has a range of nearly 20 kilometers and could cover surrounding waters to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

In late November 2025, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced a NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget aimed at strengthening overall defense capabilities and responding to China’s military threat, but it is still stalled in the legislature and has not yet entered formal review.