Exercises near Taiwan a ‘stern warning’ against separatism and US interference
The Chinese state broadcaster said naval units conducted “live ammunition firing exercises involving multiple weapons” in the waters and airspace to the southwest, north and east of Taiwan around 9.30am on Monday morning.
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Accompanying footage showed machine guns on the decks of warships firing into the sea, military aircraft taking off and missiles moving into launch position in what one narrator described as “simulated attacks”.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, as of 15:00, a total of 89 aircraft appeared near Taiwan, 67 of which entered areas requiring intervention. Officials also noted that 14 PLA ships as well as 14 Chinese coast guard ships were nearby.
Chinese authorities have not issued a public warning for Monday’s live-fire drills, and maritime traffic around the Taiwan Strait, one of the world’s largest shipping routes, appears not to have been disrupted by the drills.
Things may look different as drills enter their second day.
The PLA announced Tuesday that it would conduct live-fire drills from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and said “it is recommended that any unrelated ships or aircraft do not enter the area.” China’s maritime authorities listed two more major areas where the military “will organize live ammunition.”
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed the media in Tokyo on December 17.Credit: Bloomberg
China’s Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment on the discrepancies in the warning zones.
According to William Yang, senior analyst for North East Asia at the International Crisis Group, the areas marked by the Chinese military for the exercises were larger than in the past.
The PLA signals its “intent to enhance its troops’ anti-entry and area denial capabilities”; “This sends a direct signal to the United States and its allies – especially Japan – about Beijing’s determination to prevent foreign interference in a possible future situation on Taiwan.”
Beijing and Tokyo have been at odds since early November, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said his country’s military could theoretically be deployed if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing reacted strongly to the remarks, including imposing restrictions on Chinese tourists traveling to Japan.
The latest drills also come at a time when President Xi Jinping’s expanding purge of the military has raised questions about its war-readiness.
“China is getting very, very good at conducting ad hoc exercises to the point where they can happen very quickly,” said Jaime Ocon, a researcher at Taiwan Security Monitor. “I think this is very dangerous for Taiwan.”
‘Inherently awful’
Speaking to Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state media, an expert said that the Chinese military is holding drills because “collusion between the United States and Taiwan has become frequent and terrible in nature.”
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In a video posted by the account, Chinese Academy of Military Sciences expert Fu Zhengnan noted the size of the US weapons package and what he called the shift from defensive to offensive weapons.
Fu was probably referring to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. These weapons, which Ukraine uses effectively in its fight against Russia, can easily hit China’s southeastern coast. Taiwan first received them last year and began testing them in May 2025.
A spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the latest drills were aimed at preventing collusion between “Taiwan independence” forces and foreign powers to create trouble in the Taiwan Strait.
Beijing has stepped up military intimidation measures against the democracy of 23 million people since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office in May 2024. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that should be brought under its control, by force if necessary; Taipei resolutely rejects this stance.
In an interview, Lai told a television channel that Taiwan should “continue to step up the challenge” against any attack by China.
“When we ask our service members to stand on the front lines defending the country, we must ensure they are provided with weapons of sufficient quantity and quality,” he said.
Bloomberg
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