The Taiwan Strait escalated on Wednesday after Taipei reported the detection of a Chinese aircraft carrier group sailing towards the waters separating Taiwan and China. This development comes a day after China conducted live-fire exercises near the self-ruled island, adding to the growing strain in cross-strait relations.
The detected fleet, led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier, was spotted near Taiwan-administered Pratas Islands, located approximately 400 kilometers southwest of Taiwan, and was reportedly moving northward toward the Taiwan Strait. This move marks another instance of China increasing its military presence around Taiwan, a strategy Beijing has employed frequently in recent years to assert its sovereignty claims over the island.
Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed the sighting of the Liaoning fleet and provided updates via a statement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The ministry described the Chinese navy’s maneuver as part of an ongoing pattern of military aggression by Beijing, which has been escalating both in frequency and intensity.
The defense ministry reassured the public that Taiwan’s military forces were closely monitoring the situation and would “respond accordingly” to any further developments. Though the ministry did not specify the exact nature of Taiwan’s defensive measures, it is widely believed that Taiwan’s military deployed surveillance assets, including aircraft and naval vessels, to track the Chinese fleet.
The Liaoning aircraft carrier group was reportedly involved in a series of large-scale military drills conducted by China around Taiwan just last week. These drills, which included a record number of fighter jets and naval warships encircling the island, were met with condemnation from both Taiwan and its chief ally, the United States.
China’s Ministry of National Defense framed the military exercises as a “stern warning” to pro-independence forces in Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under Chinese control. Over the last decade, China’s military activities around Taiwan have intensified, particularly under President Xi Jinping, who has made reunification with Taiwan a key aspect of his national vision.
These military drills are widely seen as part of a broader campaign by Beijing to pressure Taiwan into accepting its sovereignty claims, as well as to deter foreign powers — especially the United States — from increasing their support for Taipei. In August, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a series of military exercises dubbed “Joint Sword,” which simulated blockades and amphibious landings on Taiwan. This latest movement of the Liaoning carrier group appears to be a continuation of that assertive military posture.
On Tuesday, just a day before the Liaoning group was detected, China conducted a live-fire military drill near its coast, about 105 kilometers from Taiwan. This exercise, held in the southern part of China’s Fujian Province, included artillery shelling and missile tests aimed at enhancing the readiness of Chinese forces in case of a conflict with Taiwan.
According to Chinese state media, the live-fire drill was a routine military exercise, but analysts suggest that its timing was likely meant to send a message to both Taiwan and the broader international community. The exercise followed the passage of a U.S. and Canadian naval flotilla through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, an act that Beijing frequently denounces as provocations by foreign powers interfering in its domestic affairs.
On Saturday, a joint naval flotilla composed of a U.S. destroyer and a Canadian frigate passed through the Taiwan Strait, a 180-kilometer-wide waterway that separates Taiwan from mainland China. These passages, which are part of regular “freedom of navigation” operations conducted by the U.S. and its allies, are intended to affirm that the strait is an international waterway and to challenge China’s territorial claims over the region.
Beijing condemned the passage, accusing the U.S. and Canada of “disrupting peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait. China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its stance that foreign military activities in the region undermine its national security and sovereignty, despite international norms designating the Taiwan Strait as international waters. However, Washington views these naval transits as essential to maintaining the “rules-based international order,” a phrase frequently invoked by U.S. officials when discussing military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
In response to the growing military pressure from China, Taiwan has significantly ramped up its own defense capabilities. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has prioritized the strengthening of Taiwan’s military and defense systems, including the development of asymmetric warfare strategies designed to counter the PLA’s numerical and technological superiority. Taiwan’s military has also conducted several of its own exercises in recent months, simulating invasions and preparing for potential missile strikes from China.
Furthermore, Taiwan’s defense budget has seen consistent increases, with the government allocating additional funds for advanced fighter jets, missile defense systems, and naval vessels. President Tsai has also emphasized the importance of international cooperation and has sought to deepen ties with countries such as Japan, Australia, and key members of the European Union.
As part of this effort, Taiwan has expanded its unofficial security partnerships with the United States, which remains its most important ally. In recent months, Washington has approved several arms sales to Taiwan, including advanced missile systems, F-16 fighter jets, and naval equipment. These sales are intended to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities in the event of a Chinese attack.
The United States has been vocal in its support of Taiwan, reiterating its commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, have warned Beijing against attempting to change the status quo by force. President Joe Biden has also made several statements indicating that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to launch an unprovoked attack on Taiwan, though these comments have at times caused confusion, given the U.S.’s longstanding policy of “strategic ambiguity.”
Washington’s strategy regarding Taiwan is built around the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though it stops short of committing to direct military intervention. The U.S. maintains that any changes to the cross-strait relationship must be achieved peacefully and with the consent of both parties.
Meanwhile, regional players such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia have grown increasingly concerned about the situation in the Taiwan Strait. Japan, in particular, has voiced alarm over the possibility of a conflict in the region, as Taiwan’s security is closely tied to Japan’s own defense strategy. In recent years, Japan has expanded its military cooperation with both the U.S. and Taiwan to prepare for potential threats from China.
The European Union has also taken note of the rising tensions, with some member states like Lithuania increasing their engagement with Taiwan, despite pressure from Beijing. The EU has called for peaceful dialogue and has expressed concerns about the potential for conflict disrupting global trade, particularly given Taiwan’s critical role in the global semiconductor industry.
Taiwan Strait, the situation remains highly volatile, with the potential for miscalculation on either side. The detection of the Liaoning aircraft carrier group sailing towards the Taiwan Strait signals that Beijing is unlikely to ease its military pressure on Taiwan anytime soon.
With the U.S. and its allies conducting regular naval passages through the strait, and China ramping up its military exercises, the delicate balance of power in the region is under strain. Taiwan, while bolstering its own defense capabilities, relies heavily on the continued support of the international community, particularly the United States, to deter any aggressive moves by Beijing.
