China has begun new military exercises around Taiwan

China is once again conducting a large-scale military exercise near Taiwan – in response to a celebratory speech by Taiwan’s president last week. The island state government has strongly condemned this maneuver.

China has resumed large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. The Chinese military issued a “stern warning” to the island republic’s “separatist” forces in a statement. Ships and planes approached from many directions.

The Defense Ministry in Beijing said Chinese planes and ships were operating around the island. State broadcaster CCTV released a map showing six large red blocks around Taiwan where the drills are called “Joint-Sword-2024B”.

Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned China’s “irrational and provocative actions” and announced it would send its own armed forces to “take concrete measures to uphold freedom and democracy”.

In parallel with China’s large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, the Chinese Coast Guard has sent four fleets for “inspections.” Marines 2901, 1305, 1303 and 2102 “conducted law enforcement inspections in the waters surrounding the island of Taiwan,” said Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun.

Taiwan’s coast guard confirmed sightings of Chinese coast guard “convoys” around the island. Many ships ply “our north, south-west, and east seas.”

Chinese aircraft carrier in Taiwan waters

Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has already been on high alert since Taiwanese President Lai Tsing-tae’s National Day speech last week. The speech was strongly condemned by the government in Beijing. Lai reiterated that China had no right to represent Taiwan. On Sunday, the Chinese aircraft carrier “Liaoning” put Taiwan on “high alert”, the Ministry of Defense announced in Taipei.

Major military exercises took place in May

The democratically-ruled island is under constant military pressure from Beijing. China has not ruled out using force to control Taiwan. In recent years, it has increased its military operations around Taiwan, regularly sending fighter jets.

Most recently, China’s People’s Liberation Army began a major military exercise around Taiwan in May. The exercise took place shortly after Lai took office. His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in January and backs a trend critical of Beijing. The ruling Communist Party in Beijing accuses the DPP of separatism.