Taiwan has issued a strong condemnation of China’s latest military drills conducted around the self-governing island, labeling them as an unreasonable provocation.
This statement follows Beijing’s deployment of warships and fighter jets in what it termed a “stern warning” against what it perceives as “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.”
The Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command announced on Monday that these exercises involve joint operations across its army, navy, air force, and rocket force, taking place in the Taiwan Strait—a crucial waterway that separates Taiwan from mainland China—and encircling the island itself.
Over recent years, such military maneuvers by China have become increasingly routine, often coinciding with events that provoke Beijing’s ire.
Notably, in August 2022, China initiated a week-long series of military drills following a controversial visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Similar exercises occurred in May after the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has characterized as a “dangerous separatist.”
The current military exercises, designated Joint Sword-2024B, appear to be a follow-up to those conducted five months prior.
Ahead of the drills, the Eastern Theater Command released a provocative video titled “prepared for battle” on its social media channels.
This roughly one-minute clip showcases fighter jets, warships, and amphibious assault vessels, alongside mobile missile launchers being positioned for potential combat. The accompanying text emphasized the command’s readiness for battle, asserting, “prepared for battle at all times and can fight anytime.”
In response, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has expressed strong disapproval, denouncing the drills as an “unreasonable provocation” and affirming that it has mobilized its own forces in reaction.
Taiwan’s presidential office echoed these sentiments, urging China to “cease military provocations that undermine regional peace and stability, and stop threatening Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.”
President Lai convened national security meetings to address potential responses to the military activities, stating on Facebook, “In the face of external threats, I would like to reassure my compatriots that the government will continue to defend the democratic and free constitutional system, protect democratic Taiwan, and safeguard national security.”
Over the weekend, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning had entered waters near the strategic Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Subsequently, the Eastern Theater Command confirmed that the carrier squadron was engaged in drills to the east of Taiwan, focusing on “vessel and jet coordination, joint air control, and maritime and land strikes,” according to state media outlet CCTV.
A spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that “Taiwan independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait are incompatible, and the provocation of Taiwan independence forces will inevitably be countered.”
This statement followed President Lai’s remarks on Taiwan’s National Day, where he declared that the island “is not subordinate” to China and stressed that Beijing “does not have the right to represent Taiwan.”
Lai further emphasized that it was “absolutely impossible” for Communist China to be Taiwan’s motherland, reinforcing Taiwan’s status as a “sovereign and independent country.”
His pro-sovereignty stance has long drawn the ire of Beijing, which has never controlled Taiwan but maintains an unwavering claim over the democratic island.
As the drills commenced, the People’s Liberation Army announced that they began with vessels and aircraft approaching Taiwan from multiple directions.
The military exercises were aimed at enhancing “sea-air combat-readiness patrol, blockade on key ports and areas, assault on maritime and ground targets, as well as joint seizure of comprehensive superiority,” according to the PLA’s Eastern Command statement.
While it has not been confirmed whether these drills included live-fire exercises, China has not yet launched any missiles during this latest series.
A map released by the Eastern Theater Command indicated that drills were ongoing in nine designated areas surrounding Taiwan and its nearby outlying islands, Matsu and Dongyin, which are closer to mainland China.
The drills also involved the Chinese Coast Guard, which was reported to be active in regions surrounding Taiwan.
Between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time on Monday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry detected 25 Chinese aircraft, including 16 that crossed the Median Line, an informal boundary in the Taiwan Strait that Beijing does not recognize but had generally respected until recent years. Additionally, seven Chinese warships and various Coast Guard vessels were reported near the Taiwan Strait.
On the same day, Taiwan’s Coast Guard apprehended a Chinese individual near the Kinmen Islands, who was found on a raft. Due to the timing of the incident with the military drills, authorities could not dismiss the possibility that this was part of China’s “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan, prompting an increase in alertness. Such tactics refer to actions that fall short of open warfare.
Chinese military operations in the Western Pacific are a massive financial undertaking, with estimates suggesting over $15 billion spent on naval deployments and air operations in 2023.
Taiwanese military documents revealed that during Chinese drills in May, there were 91 warship sailings totaling over 2,200 operating hours, costing approximately $12.7 million, while Chinese jets logged 111 flights, amounting to about $47.8 million in expenses.
In the wake of these military exercises, the United States expressed “serious concern,” characterizing the drills as “a response with military provocations to a routine annual speech” and deeming them “unwarranted and risks escalation.”
A spokesperson for the State Department urged the People’s Republic of China to “act with restraint and to avoid any further actions that may undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region.”
