Taiwan Slams Chinese Military Drills Around Island

Taiwan has condemned the latest round of Chinese military drills around the self-governing island as an “unreasonable provocation” after Beijing deployed warships and fighter jets in what it described as a “stern warning” against “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces,” Helen Regan and Wayne Chang reported for CNN.

The latest exercises are code-named Joint Sword-2024B, indicating it is a continuation of drills conducted five months ago under the same name. I Photo: RIMPAC

The Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said Monday that the drills, involving joint operations of the army, navy, air force, and rocket force, are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait—a narrow body of water separating the island from mainland China—and are encircling Taiwan.

China’s military exercises around Taiwan, a democracy of 23 million people, have become increasingly frequent in recent years and tend to coincide with events that have angered Beijing.

Analysts noted that drills appeared less intense than previous ones but were part of a broader strategy to maintain pressure on Taiwan and normalize regular war games.

In August 2022, China launched a week of military drills following a visit to the island by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Similar drills in May followed the inauguration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has denounced as a “dangerous separatist.” The latest exercises are code-named Joint Sword-2024B, indicating it is a continuation of drills conducted five months ago under the same name.