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On Tuesday, China mobilized its army, navy, air, and missile forces to encircle Taiwan in extensive military exercises. These drills were described by Beijing as a rehearsal for “precision strikes” and a potential blockade of the self-governing island.
In response, Taiwan activated its own aircraft and naval vessels and positioned ground-based missile systems to counter the activities.
These maneuvers followed comments made by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who stated during a visit to Japan that the United States would uphold “credible deterrence” in the Taiwan Strait.
In recent years, Beijing has significantly ramped up the presence of fighter jets and warships near Taiwan, a move that Taipei vehemently opposes. Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that China deployed 21 warships, including the aircraft carrier Shandong, in the vicinity of the island, along with 71 aircraft and four coast guard ships. This marks the highest number of naval vessels positioned around Taiwan since May of the previous year, when 27 ships were noted in a report by AFP referencing the defense ministry’s daily updates.
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait, measuring 180 kilometers (112 miles) wide, have heightened since the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in May 2024. According to Beijing, the recent military exercises were intended as a “stern warning and robust deterrent” against proponents of Taiwan’s independence.
The drills included “sea and air combat readiness patrols, joint operations to establish comprehensive control, assaults on both maritime and land targets, and blockades of vital regions and sea lanes,” as noted by Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command.
Shi further stated that Chinese forces were “closing in on Taiwan from multiple angles.” The Eastern Theater Command also indicated that the exercises involved training for “multi-directional precision strikes” around the island and released a graphic titled “closing in.”
Additionally, China’s coast guard reported conducting “law enforcement patrols” in the waters surrounding Taiwan. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, remarked, “Pursuing ‘Taiwan independence’ places the people of Taiwan in a precarious situation of conflict.”
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