China's massive naval deployment near Taiwan raises global attention
Chinese military increases its presence around Taiwan with unprecedented naval and air operations. Taiwan officials suggest these moves are aimed at sending messages to Washingtonʼs new leadership
In a show of force China deployed its biggest naval fleet in almost 30 years near Taiwan which has drawn international attention. The Taiwan defense ministry spotted 53 military aircraft and 11 navy ships (plus 8 civilian-type vessels) in just one day
The surge in military activity comes right after Lai Ching-teʼs Pacific journey that included stops in Hawaii and Guam. A high-ranking Taiwanese official pointed out that these operations – which took more than two months to plan – seem to target the new White House administration rather than Laiʼs trip specifically
We take necessary measures to resolutely defend the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity
The scale of operations is quite unusual for this time period considering the rough winter seas. Beijings approach shows an interesting mix of pressure and diplomacy: while conducting these large-scale exercises theyʼre also planning business-related events with Taiwan
- Naval fleet movements in East China Sea
- 53 military aircraft detected
- 11 navy vessels spotted
- 8 official ships observed
- Multiple temporary reserved airspace zones
A US military representative noted that while Chinese naval presence in regional waters is higher than usual its similar to previous big exercises. Meanwhile Taiwan which China sees as its territory keeps tracking all military moves near its borders – the defense ministry stays on high alert since spotting increased activity early this week
