China conducted an unannounced large-scale military exercise in the western Pacific and around Taiwan in early November. More than 100 vessels belonging to the Chinese armed forces and coast guard took part in the operation, Reuters reported, citing a senior Taiwanese security official.
The drills included simulated attacks against the armed forces of other countries and against cities, including in Taiwan. According to the Taiwanese official, the scale of the deployment was larger than that of China’s officially announced “Justice Mission 2025” exercise, held in December last year.
Taiwanese officials described the unannounced operation as a campaign of “silent intimidation” aimed at putting pressure on Taiwan and other governments ahead of international meetings. The operation coordinated the actions of naval forces from the Eastern, Northern and Southern Theater Commands of the Chinese military.
Naval Presence East of the Philippines
According to the Taiwanese official, the operation may have been preparation not only for a blockade of Taiwan but also for larger-scale activities in the western Pacific. He also said that the Chinese military was likely testing its ability to combine its regional naval forces into a unified operational group for long-range operations.
The official claimed that during the drills, a Chinese submarine launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yellow Sea toward mainland China. The claim has not been publicly confirmed by China’s Ministry of Defense, which did not respond to a Reuters inquiry.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense referred the agency to comments by Minister Wellington Koo. He said that China’s exercises in the western Pacific were aimed at restricting access and obstructing the actions of opposing forces. An aircraft carrier and other naval formations took part in them.
China said that the participation of the “Liaoning” aircraft carrier was part of “routine” exercises that were not directed against any specific country.
About 70 Vessels Remain in the Area
The scale of China’s naval deployment declined this week, but around 70 vessels continued to operate in the area of the first island chain, two Taiwanese security officials said.
Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu said that the number of ships had fallen, but the activity was continuing. “The formations of the Northern, Eastern and Southern Theater Commands, together with the strike group of the ‘Liaoning’ aircraft carrier, continue to operate in the waters east of the Philippines,” he wrote on the social network X.
Wu added that the activity of the Chinese air force near Taiwan also remained high.
The drills are taking place against the backdrop of increased military pressure from China over the past five years. Beijing regards the democratically governed island as its territory. Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of using force to establish control over Taiwan, while Taipei is warning of a growing risk of conflict.
Next week, China will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet at the forum for the third time this year. Taiwan is also a member of APEC.
Sources: bta.bg, whbl.com