Beijing conducts large-scale war games around Taiwan in a show of force, provoking international concern.
China deployed aircraft and naval vessels to encircle Taiwan on Monday in military drills aimed at sending a “stern warning” to what Beijing termed “separatist” forces on the self-ruled island. The drills are the fourth instance of large-scale war games conducted by China around Taiwan in the past two years, a period that has seen a sharp rise in cross-strait tensions. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
The recent maneuvers are designed to test China’s joint operational capabilities while sending a strong message to Taiwan’s pro-sovereignty leaders. The United States, meanwhile, has called on Beijing to act with restraint, criticizing the drills as “unwarranted” and warning of the risks of escalation in an already tense region.
Taiwan, a democratic island of 23 million people, has operated under its own government since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist forces retreated there after their defeat by Mao Zedong’s communists. Since then, Taiwan has evolved into a prosperous democracy with its own military, currency, and government institutions. However, Beijing views the island as a breakaway province and has long vowed to reunify it with the mainland, by force if necessary.
Monday’s drills, dubbed Joint Sword-2024B, are the latest in a series of actions aimed at ramping up pressure on Taiwan. The exercises were primarily conducted in areas to the north, south, and east of Taiwan, involving air and sea combat-readiness patrols, blockades on key ports, and simulated assaults on maritime and ground targets, according to Captain Li Xi, a spokesman for China’s Eastern Theater Command. The drills also included operations to “seize comprehensive superiority” in a conflict scenario.
Taiwan condemned the exercises as “irrational and provocative,” describing them as a serious threat to regional stability. In response, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported the deployment of “appropriate forces” to monitor the situation closely, while maintaining that its military remains on high alert. “We are determined and confident to ensure national defense security,” the ministry stated.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, who took office in May 2024, has been more outspoken than his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, in defending Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lai, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has repeatedly asserted that Taiwan and China are “not subordinate to each other.” This stance has further inflamed Beijing, which has labeled him a “separatist” and accused him of undermining cross-strait peace.
In a speech marking Taiwan’s National Day last week, Lai reaffirmed the island’s commitment to resisting Beijing’s attempts at annexation. “We will resist annexation and safeguard our freedom and democracy,” he said. Lai’s comments prompted an angry response from Beijing, with Chinese state media warning that his “provocations” would result in “disaster” for the Taiwanese people.
Beijing has consistently framed its military actions as necessary to safeguard its territorial integrity. On Monday, a spokesman for the Chinese military defended the drills as a “legitimate and necessary operation” to protect state sovereignty. State broadcaster CCTV reinforced the message, issuing a chilling warning that “the greater the provocation, the tighter the reins.”
Adding another layer of complexity to the military drills, China’s coast guard was deployed to conduct “inspections” around the island. A diagram released by the Chinese authorities showed four fleets moving in an anticlockwise direction around Taiwan, mirroring the naval activities of the Chinese military.
The coast guard from Fujian, the mainland province closest to Taiwan, was also involved in “comprehensive law enforcement patrols” near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands. These inspections appear to be part of a broader strategy aimed at demonstrating China’s dominance over the waters surrounding Taiwan. Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed that four “formations” of Chinese coast guard vessels were patrolling near the island but had not yet entered prohibited waters.
China’s increased military presence in the Taiwan Strait, including the deployment of both naval and coast guard assets, signals a shift toward more aggressive tactics. In recent years, Chinese warplanes and military aircraft have routinely conducted flyovers near Taiwan, while its naval vessels maintain a near-constant presence in the island’s surrounding waters.
The United States, a staunch supporter of Taiwan, has expressed concern over China’s escalating military maneuvers. Washington condemned the latest drills, describing them as “unwarranted” provocations that risk destabilizing the region. “These actions by Beijing only increase the chances of miscalculation and unintended consequences,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
The U.S. has long supported Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and regularly sells advanced military equipment to the island. However, Washington remains officially committed to the “One China” policy, which acknowledges Beijing’s claim to Taiwan while insisting on the peaceful resolution of cross-strait disputes. In practice, the U.S. maintains a policy of “strategic ambiguity,” meaning it has not explicitly committed to defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion but provides substantial support to bolster the island’s defenses.
Washington has called on Beijing to exercise restraint and avoid escalating tensions in the region. Yet, with China showing no signs of backing down, the likelihood of further confrontations appears high.
As tensions continue to rise, Taiwan’s military remains on high alert. The island’s defense ministry confirmed that 25 Chinese aircraft and seven naval vessels were detected around Taiwan in the 26 hours leading up to Monday morning. “In the face of enemy threats, all officers and soldiers of the country are in full readiness,” the ministry said.
Taiwan’s National Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday to assess the situation and review contingency plans. Joseph Wu, the council’s secretary-general, condemned the drills as inconsistent with international law and warned that Beijing’s actions were destabilizing the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Despite the mounting military pressure, life in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, appeared largely unaffected by the latest developments. Many residents have become accustomed to China’s military posturing. “I won’t panic too much because they quite often have drills,” said 34-year-old engineer Benjamin Hsiao. “It’s not the first time in recent years anyway, so I feel a bit numb.
The current conflict between China and Taiwan dates back to 1949 when the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist army in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent nation, though it has never formally declared independence.
For decades, China has sought to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, blocking it from participating in international organizations and luring away its diplomatic allies. Taiwan currently only has formal diplomatic relations with a handful of countries, as most nations, including the United States, do not officially recognize it as a sovereign state.
However, Taiwan’s economic success and thriving democracy have won it significant support from Western nations, particularly the U.S., which views the island as a crucial ally in maintaining the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region.
