On Monday, China launched military drills surrounding Taiwan, deploying planes and ships in a move aimed at sending a “stern warning” to separatist forces on the self-governed island. Beijing, which considers Taiwan a part of its territory, has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. These drills are the fourth major round of war games conducted by China in the past two years.
The latest exercises come just days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing against reacting aggressively following a speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te during the island’s National Day celebrations. Lai, who took office in May, has been more vocal than his predecessor in defending Taiwan’s sovereignty, a stance that has angered Beijing, which refers to him as a “separatist.”
Taiwan’s government condemned the drills, describing them as “irrational and provocative.” In response, Taiwan has deployed its own forces. “In the face of enemy threats, all officers and soldiers of the country are in full readiness,” the island’s defence ministry announced, stating that Taiwan is prepared to defend itself.
The Chinese military, through a spokesperson for its Eastern Theatre Command, said the drills are meant as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan Independence’ forces.” The exercises, named **Joint Sword-2024B**, include combat-readiness patrols and blockades of key areas. They also involve assaults on maritime and ground targets to “test joint operations capabilities.”
China’s coast guard has also been involved, conducting “inspections” in waters around Taiwan. A diagram released by Chinese authorities showed four fleets circling Taiwan, though the island’s officials confirmed that Chinese ships have not entered restricted waters.
Over the past few years, China has significantly increased its military activities around Taiwan, sending warplanes and military ships to the region on a regular basis. The current round of drills also coincides with a rise in diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Taipei, which escalated following Lai’s speech last week. During the speech, Lai stated that Taiwan will “resist annexation” and emphasized that “Beijing and Taipei are not subordinate to each other.”
China’s state media echoed the government’s firm stance, with a warning from state broadcaster CCTV: “The greater the provocation, the tighter the reins.”
Despite the growing tensions, life in Taiwan appeared to go on as usual. One Taipei resident remarked, “I won’t panic too much because they quite often have drills. It’s not the first time in recent years, so I feel a bit numb.”
The ongoing dispute between China and Taiwan traces back to the Chinese civil war in 1949, when nationalist forces fled to Taiwan after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist army. Since then, Beijing has worked to marginalize Taiwan on the global stage, blocking its participation in international organizations and attempting to poach its diplomatic allies.
The drills, which involve both military and coast guard forces, are expected to continue as China seeks to assert its claims over the island, while Taiwan remains defiant in its stance on independence.
