Taiwan has denounced recent Chinese military drills around the island as an "unreasonable provocation," following Beijing’s deployment of warships and fighter jets in what it called a "stern warning" to supporters of Taiwan's independence. The drills, conducted by China’s Eastern Theater Command, involved joint operations across its army, navy, air force, and rocket force, and took place in the Taiwan Strait and areas surrounding the self-governing island.
China’s military activities around Taiwan, a democratic island of 23 million, have intensified in recent years, often coinciding with events that Beijing views as challenges to its authority. While Monday’s exercises appeared less intense than previous ones, analysts see them as part of China’s ongoing strategy to keep Taiwan under pressure and normalize such military actions.
This latest round of drills follows a pattern established in August 2022, when China launched military exercises after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Similar drills were conducted in May 2024, after Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te was inaugurated—an event that Beijing harshly criticized. The current exercises, code-named Joint Sword-2024B, follow up on drills conducted five months earlier.
Ahead of these exercises, China’s Eastern Theater Command released a propaganda video on social media titled "Prepared for Battle," showcasing fighter jets, warships, and missile launchers, signaling its readiness for combat at any time.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry condemned the drills as an act of aggression, stating it had deployed its own forces in response. The presidential office in Taiwan also called on China to stop actions that threaten regional peace and Taiwan’s democracy. President Lai Ching-te convened national security meetings and reassured citizens that the government would defend Taiwan's democratic system and national security.
On Sunday, Taiwan reported that a Chinese aircraft carrier had entered waters near the Bashi Channel, south of the island, conducting exercises focused on air and sea coordination. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait are incompatible, warning that separatist actions would be met with countermeasures.
The military drills followed President Lai’s National Day speech in which he reaffirmed Taiwan’s independence, declaring the island "is not subordinate" to China and that Beijing has no right to represent Taiwan. Lai has long championed Taiwan’s sovereignty, drawing Beijing's ire for rejecting claims that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China.
Though China’s ruling Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan, it views the island as a breakaway province and has vowed to reunify with it, by force if necessary. However, many Taiwanese see themselves as distinctly separate and have little interest in being part of China.
China's military exercises included operations involving fighter jets and warships approaching Taiwan from multiple directions. The drills, which focused on combat-readiness patrols, blockades, and joint assaults, concluded on Monday. While the exercises did not feature live fire or missile launches, they were seen as part of a growing show of force aimed at pressuring Taiwan.
According to experts, the recent drills involved a greater range of military forces, including China’s Coast Guard, signaling Beijing's intent to gradually escalate its military presence around Taiwan without provoking an international response.
The drills also targeted areas near Taiwan’s outlying islands, where Chinese warships and aircraft were spotted crossing the Median Line—a previously respected unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported detecting 25 Chinese aircraft and seven warships during the drills.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard intercepted a Chinese individual near the Kinmen Islands during the exercises, raising concerns that the incident might be part of China’s "gray zone" tactics, actions just short of warfare, used to harass and weaken Taiwan’s defenses.
China’s military operations in the Western Pacific are estimated to cost billions. In 2023, the country spent over $15 billion on naval deployments and air force missions, with much of this activity centered around Taiwan. The U.S. expressed serious concerns about the latest drills, warning that such provocations risk escalating tensions in the region and calling on China to act with restraint.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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