China launches military encirclement drill near Taiwan, prompting the island to deploy forces in response

China’s military on Monday announced that it was mobilising its army, navy and rocket units around Taiwan in a major military drill amid brewing tensions in the region. Beijing maintained that the drills were conducted to test what it claimed was its combat readiness and to send a “serious warning” against any push for Taiwanese independence.

Meanwhile, the government of Taiwan also issued a statement, condemning the drill and accusing China of “military intimidation.” It is pertinent to note that China has significantly stepped up the encirclement of Taiwan since 2022, right after the then-US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island region.

This marked a significant show of support for Taiwan, infuriating Beijing’s leadership. It is pertinent to note that China’s Eastern Theatre Command is conducting the latest drills, called the “Just Mission 2025,” in five blocks of ocean around the island, including in the Taiwan Strait, to the north, southwest, southeast, and east of Taiwan.

The Chinese authorities maintained that during the exercise, the areas would be under sea and air space restrictions for 10 hours from 8:30 am local time. Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command, said the drills will focus on “training in sea-and-air combat readiness patrols, seizing comprehensive control”, and “blockade and control of key ports and critical areas.”

How Taiwan is responding

It is important to note that China’s latest drill came after Beijing expressed anger at a remark by Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who said her country could respond militarily if China were to move to take control of Taiwan by force. “This exercise serves as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interfering forces, and is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain national unity,” Shi said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Taiwan’s presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said the drills “blatantly undermine the security and stability status quo of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region” and “openly challenge international laws and order.”

“We strongly condemn the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and their use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries,” Kuo said. Shortly after this, Taiwan’s military said it had deployed “appropriate forces” in response to China’s drills around the democratic island.

“A response centre has been established, and appropriate forces have been deployed,” the military said, adding that its armed forces “have carried out a rapid response exercise”.