TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A large number of Chinese navy and coast guard vessels are operating in the backyards of its neighbors, with some near Taiwan, as China launches massive military exercises.
A senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters that the PLA has deployed approximately 90 navy and coast guard vessels near Taiwan and southern Japanese islands in the East and South China Sea. About two-thirds of these vessels are reportedly Chinese navy warships.
The official said the scale of the PLA exercise surpasses this year’s previous major Chinese operations, Joint Sword-2024A and Joint Sword-2024B. For the first time, China is targeting the entire first island chain, which includes Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo. The operation is intended as "total military intimidation" and an effort to control waters within the “inner part of the island chain.”
In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) activated its response center, directing all military units to stay on high alert to monitor the PLA’s disposition. The MND said its forces, along with troops on outer islands, are coordinating with the Coast Guard Administration to address the presence of Chinese vessels.
The ministry also initiated combat readiness drills, deploying forces to tactical positions based on PLA threat levels, weather conditions, and other factors.
Reuters previously cited a Taiwanese security official on Nov. 27, who said China would likely use President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) recent tour of South Pacific allies and transit through Hawaii and Guam as a pretext to conduct these large-scale exercises. Chinese officials have labeled Lai a "separatist" and dismissed his calls for dialogue, while Lai asserts Taiwan’s future “will be decided by its 23 million people.”
As part of the exercise, China has designated seven reserved airspace zones, which will remain in effect from Monday to Wednesday. These sectors are available for military use during certain timeframes in accordance with international rules, but civilian flights can pass through with prior clearance.
