One week after conducting a large-scale drill encircling Taiwan, China carried out a live-fire exercise from its territory nearest to the island.
Chinese military drills near Taiwan’s coast have escalated in recent years, in line with its increasing claims over the self-governed island. On Monday evening, Beijing announced that a zone around Niushan Island, located 105 km (66 miles) from Taiwan, would be closed for four hours of exercises starting at 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
In response, Taiwan’s Premier, Cho Jung-tai, criticized China’s actions on Tuesday, stating that such exercises, especially so close to Taiwan, pose a threat to regional stability. “No matter the scale of the drill, they should not be frequent or so near to Taiwan,” he told reporters, adding that this only leads to unnecessary tensions.
While Taipei has officially downplayed the drills as routine, analysts suggest that China’s proximity in these exercises is likely sending a strong message. The drills are also part of a broader campaign in which Chinese ships and aircraft frequently cross into Taiwan’s territory and airspace. These so-called “grey zone” tactics are intended to normalize these incursions and slowly erode Taiwan’s defenses over time.
As Chinese military activities have ramped up, Taiwan’s allies, particularly the United States, have increased their own maneuvers in the region. For years, the US Pacific Fleet was the only foreign navy regularly sailing through the Taiwan Strait, asserting its right to freedom of navigation. Recently, however, other US allies, such as Canada, Germany, Australia, and Japan, have joined these patrols as part of “high-visibility” operations.
Just over the weekend, US and Canadian warships passed through the Taiwan Strait, further emphasizing the increasing tensions. Analysts see this as part of a larger strategic signaling by both China and the US. While Beijing is reinforcing its claims over Taiwan, Washington is highlighting its support for the island.
Despite this, a US official told the BBC that Washington is focused on reducing tensions with China, given its current involvement in conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. However, the official acknowledged that in the long term, China remains the most significant threat to the US.
Last Monday, China deployed a record number of 153 military aircraft, as well as warships and coast guard vessels, in a large exercise simulating an attack on Taiwan by land, sea, and air. This came after Taiwanese President William Lai’s National Day speech on October 10, in which he vowed to “resist annexation or any encroachment on [Taiwan’s] sovereignty.” He further stated that China and Taiwan are “not subordinate to each other” and that China has “no right to represent Taiwan.”
China, which has repeatedly pledged to take Taiwan by force if necessary, views Lai as a “troublemaker” who supports Taiwan’s independence.
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