TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The defense ministry said Tuesday that the Chinese naval fleet deployed near Taiwan and neighboring countries for military maneuvers is the largest in years.
Defense Ministry Spokesperson Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said in a press briefing that the scale of China's naval deployment, ranging from Japan's southern islands to the South China Sea, is larger than in 2022, per AFP. Sun said the scale of this week's exercises “is the largest compared to the previous four” and poses a threat, per Reuters.
Although the ministry did not confirm a report that 90 Chinese naval ships had been deployed for the exercises, Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) said “the numbers are truly astonishing,” per Liberty Times. Hsieh said the PLA ships extend beyond the east of Taiwan, with deployments between the first and second island chains.
Hsieh said the PLA attempts to simulate a blockade on Taiwan and extend forces outward to achieve its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) objectives. At the same time, it has formed two naval "walls" east of Taiwan to convey the message of “turning the Taiwan Strait into an inland sea" to lower people's vigilance, reported Liberty Times.
Hsieh said no live-fire drills are being conducted within the seven designated reserved zones. There are no restrictions on flight passages, aside from aircraft entry in certain areas.
However, Hsieh said that given the increased number of naval and air forces, especially north of Taiwan and east of Zhejiang, “it is not difficult to understand the intention," per UDN.
Hsieh said that although the reserved zones avoid international flight routes and are located west of the Taiwan Strait median line, they stretch approximately 1,000 kilometers from east of Shanghai down to Fujian. This suggests that the intimidation targets are not limited to Taiwan, Hsieh said.
He said the extended range of the naval activities eastward into the western Pacific has clear indications. The general said the armed forces are monitoring for any transitions from training to exercises or from exercises to combat.
Meanwhile, individuals noticed several Army tanks performing maneuvers near the Taoyuan Airport. Major General Tung Chi-hsing (董冀星) responded that the armed forces issued combat readiness directives in response to the PLA drills, per CNA.
Tung said combat units have been dispatched to tactical positions to conduct war-preparedness drills such as force preservation, joint air defense, and anti-landing operations.
