China Launches Military Drills Around Taiwan

China has launched large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, describing them as a “strong warning and a powerful deterrent against Taiwan independence.”

According to Reuters, the announcement came from the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Colonel Shi Yi, the command’s spokesperson, stated that the drills involve land, air, and naval forces, as well as missile units, demonstrating a comprehensive display of military capability in the region.

“The main focus is on combat patrols at sea and in the air, practicing comprehensive control, striking maritime and land targets, establishing control, and blocking key areas and routes,” the statement from the Eastern Theater Command reads.

The colonel emphasized that these exercises serve as a “serious warning” to forces advocating for Taiwan’s independence, as well as a “powerful deterrent.” He described them as a “legitimate and necessary measure” to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China’s Coast Guard Command also announced its participation in the exercises, stating that its forces would simulate “inspection and seizure operations, interception, and detention of unauthorized vessels” to demonstrate their “legitimate jurisdiction” over Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, in response to the new military maneuvers, reported that the Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier group had entered the operational zone. In reaction, Taiwan placed its combat aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems on high alert.

According to two senior Taiwanese government officials, Taiwan’s warships were deployed in response to the approach of more than 10 Chinese naval vessels coming within 24 nautical miles of the island’s coast.

The new military exercises were launched unexpectedly, just three months after the completion of drills in December last year. However, unlike those, their scale is smaller and limited exclusively to the forces of the Eastern Theater Command.

During the drills, China is practicing a well-established scenario of encircling and isolating the island nation from maritime transit while conducting strikes on land and naval targets.

Last month, China tested newly developed auxiliary vessels that are supposed to enable the landing of armored vehicles from civilian barges on unprepared coastlines and could be used to seize Taiwan.

Specialized auxiliary vessels, which Chinese shipyards started to mass-produce at the beginning of the year, are designed as an intermediate link to ensure that a large number of heavy equipment can be landed from other vessels within a short period of time.