China has recently conducted a series of military activities in the vicinity of Taiwan, asserting that these actions are aimed at countering the alleged separatist tendencies it associates with the self-ruled island. Beijing claims Taiwan as a part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
China’s concerns are primarily directed at President Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whom they consider separatists. Since Tsai’s initial election in 2016, Beijing has taken steps to isolate Taiwan on the international stage. This isolation has intensified after Tsai’s meetings with prominent U.S. politicians like Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy, leading to large-scale military drills by China.
Over the past few weeks, Taiwan has reported almost daily military activities by China, including fighter jet sorties, drone flights, naval movements, and the presence of the aircraft carrier Shandong. Land exercises have also been observed on China’s eastern coast, closest to Taiwan.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman, Zhu Fenglian, stated that these drills by China’s People’s Liberation Army are conducted to firmly counteract what they perceive as the arrogance of Taiwan’s independence-seeking separatist forces. Zhu emphasized that China views Taiwan’s independence provocations as ongoing, and the PLA remains committed to defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.