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China conducts major drills near Taiwan, simulating blockade and strikes

01.04.2025 13:00
China on Tuesday launched wide-scale military drills around Taiwan involving all branches of its armed forces, simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island and strikes on maritime and land targets.
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet approaches Hsinchu Airbase for landing, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, 01 April 2025. The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army conducted joint exercises around Taiwan, simulating air and land strikes as a warning to Taiwans independence advocates, which Beijing views as a threat to national sovereignty.
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet approaches Hsinchu Airbase for landing, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, 01 April 2025. The Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted joint exercises around Taiwan, simulating air and land strikes as a warning to Taiwan's independence advocates, which Beijing views as a threat to national sovereignty. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO

Beijing says the exercises serve as a warning to so-called “separatists.”

Eastern Theater Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait area, said troops will concentrate on “blocking key maritime regions and routes” and “attacking sea and land targets.”

Colonel Shi Yi, command spokesperson, called the maneuvers a “legitimate and necessary action to protect China’s sovereignty and national unity.”

Chinese social media posts included videos depicting Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a “parasite” and posters with the words “We are getting closer,” alongside fighter jets and warships encircling the island.

Taiwan’s defense ministry denounced the drills as a threat to regional peace and stability, deploying forces to monitor and respond if needed.

These operations mark China’s largest exercises since February, as tensions rise between Beijing, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and Taipei, which rejects mainland authority. Chinese President Xi Jinping insists on “reunification,” without ruling out military force.

However, analysts note a possible maritime “quarantine”—a less overtly escalatory move than a full blockade—remains among China’s strategic options.

(jh)

Source: Reuters, Economic Times, PAP, Guardian