In the recent advances China has deployed its most extensive naval fleet in nearly 30 years, creating a significant threat to Taiwan and regional stability, announced by the Taiwanese defense ministry on Tuesday. The deployment stretches from the southern Japanese islands to the South China Sea and exceeds the scale of China’s previous military exercises around Taiwan, including those held before the 1996 Taiwanese presidential elections.
Taiwan’s defense ministry spokesperson, Sun Li-fang, stated that although China has not officially confirmed drills, the maneuvers are a strong display of intimidation. “The current scale is the largest compared to the previous four,” Sun said. “Regardless of announcements, the threats are very real.”
This heightened military presence came after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s Pacific tour, which included stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. Taiwan’s military raised its alert after China reserved airspace and increased the deployment of naval and coast guard vessels in the area.
Senior Taiwanese intelligence officer Hsieh Jih-sheng noted that while there have been no live-fire drills, activity around Taiwan’s northern regions has surged. Chinese forces aim to establish “area denial,” particularly along the First Island Chain, to deter foreign intervention.
The defense ministry highlighted China’s creation of two “naval walls” in the Pacific, with one encroaching on Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone. “They aim to turn the Taiwan Strait into an internal sea,” Hsieh explained.
In the past 24 hours, Taiwan has detected 47 Chinese military aircraft and 12 naval vessels operating near the island. Some aircraft simulated attacks on foreign ships and conducted “blockade exercises.”
Taiwanese leaders, rejecting Beijing’s sovereignty claims, assert that only Taiwan’s citizens can determine their future. Meanwhile, Beijing maintains that Taiwan is a “core interest” and warns foreign nations, particularly the US, against crossing its “red lines.”
This marks China’s third major military display around Taiwan this year, intensifying geopolitical tensions in the region.
