Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reconnaissance drone conducted a "highly provocative and irresponsible" flight over the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, also known as Dongsha Island, in the South China Sea on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The drone was detected entering the airspace near the remote atoll at approximately 5:44 a.m. local time and, according to Reuters, flew within its airspace for about eight minutes. Taiwan's military issued warnings via international channels, after which the drone departed at 5:48 a.m. The MND strongly condemned the incursion, stating that such actions by the PLA severely undermine regional peace and stability and violate international legal norms. This incident is part of a pattern of frequent Chinese military activity around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory. While Chinese military aircraft and vessels often operate in Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), direct incursions into Taiwanese territorial airspace, particularly over islands, are considered more escalatory. The Pratas Islands are strategically important, lying at the northern end of the disputed South China Sea, approximately 444 kilometers southwest of Taiwan's city of Kaohsiung. This event underscores the persistent tensions in the region and Taiwan's continuous need to maintain vigilance against Chinese military maneuvers.