China Conducts Record Military Drills Around Taiwan
China launched large-scale military exercises around Taiwan on Monday, deploying a record 125 aircraft, warships, and its Liaoning aircraft carrier, in a move described as a warning to Taiwan and a response to President William Lai’s recent speech rejecting Beijing’s claims of sovereignty. The drills simulated blockades of key ports, highlighting tensions in the Taiwan Strait just days after Taiwan’s National Day celebrations.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that 34 Chinese naval vessels and 125 aircraft, including warplanes, helicopters, and drones, operated around the island. The ministry condemned the exercises as “irrational and provocative” and emphasized its forces were monitoring the situation closely, while Taiwan’s airports and ports remained functional.
The drills, dubbed “Joint Sword-2024B,” focused on simulating attacks by land, sea, and air. Chinese state media released maps showing military formations encircling Taiwan and its outlying islands. The exercises followed a speech by President Lai in which he vowed to “resist annexation” and uphold Taiwan’s sovereignty.
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said the drills were necessary to protect national unity and warned against Taiwan’s independence efforts. The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command described the operations as successful but did not provide a date for their conclusion.
The United States criticized China’s military response, calling it an overreaction to a routine speech. Washington urged Beijing to show restraint and avoid further actions that could destabilize the region.
Taiwan remained defiant. “Our military will definitely deal with the threat from China appropriately,” Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s security council, said at a forum in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital. “Threatening other countries with force violates the basic spirit of the United Nations Charter to resolve disputes through peaceful means.” Taiwan’s Presidential Office also called on China to “cease military provocations that undermine regional peace and stability and stop threatening Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.”
A map aired on China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed six large blocks encircling Taiwan indicating where the military drills were being held, along with circles drawn around Taiwan’s outlying islands
Despite the military pressure, Taiwan’s government and public remained defiant, with officials reaffirming their commitment to defending the island’s sovereignty and stability.
In August 2022 US house speaker Nancy Pelosi flew into Taipei – the first time a sitting house speaker had visited the island since 1997. Pelosi’s visit and her open support for Taiwan was seen by Beijing as a huge provocation – coming close to a formal recognition of the government here by a very senior US politician.
It reacted with fury – holding two days of exercises and for the first time ever flying ballistic missiles over the island and in to the Pacific Ocean.
