China Conducts Military Exercises Near Taiwan as a Warning to President Lai

Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te delivers a speech during Taiwan National Day  in Taipei, Taiwan on Oct. 10, 2024.

China’s armed forces conducted additional military drills around Taiwan, issuing a warning to the democratically elected government to cease its “separatist actions.”

The exercises, which took place on Monday, involved forces from the army, navy, air force, and rocket forces, a spokesperson for the Chinese military announced in a statement on social media. China Central Television, the state broadcaster, displayed a map highlighting six large red zones surrounding Taiwan, indicating where the drills were held, as well as three smaller red circles marking offshore outposts.

The spokesperson described the military activities as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan independence’ forces.” They emphasized that the drills were “a legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding state sovereignty and national unity.”

These exercises underscore China’s persistent efforts to exert pressure on Taiwan’s newly elected president. They were named “Joint Sword-2024B,” following the “2024A” exercises conducted immediately after his inauguration in May. Similar to the drills held two years ago after then House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, the People’s Liberation Army appeared to be simulating a blockade of Taiwan, a major semiconductor manufacturing hub strategically located near a vital shipping lane.

Since Lai’s electoral victory in January, China has employed a range of tactics to pressure him, including withdrawing diplomatic recognition from one of Taiwan’s few remaining allies, increasing Coast Guard activity around islands controlled by Taipei, and eliminating tariff exemptions on certain agricultural products from the archipelago of 23 million people.

On Saturday, Beijing announced it was reviewing “adopting further measures” against Taiwan for banning certain Chinese shipments. Taiwan responded by stating that China was using cross-strait trade as a political tool.

The latest PLA activities followed Lai’s speech last week, where he declared his determination to withstand the challenges posed by China. China views Taiwan as its territory and has threatened to use force if necessary to bring it under its control. Last month, Lai convened the first meeting of a civil defense committee, aiming to ensure the archipelago’s resilience in any emergency.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry denounced Beijing’s latest military actions, stating in a statement that they had deployed forces to respond, though details were not provided. The Ministry also emphasized that Lai’s National Day speech underscored his steadfast commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the strait.

The U.S. supports Taiwan through arms sales, which have angered Beijing, as well as through political and economic means. President Joe Biden has stated on four occasions that the U.S. would defend the chipmaking hub from a Chinese attack, though he has also asserted that he does not support Taiwanese independence—a position that Beijing considers a red line.