China’s Show of Force: Military Exercises Around Taiwan

Last Thursday marked a significant display of military power by China, as it conducted extensive military drills around Taiwan – an island it claims as its own territory. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) spearheaded the operations, code-named “Joint Sword-2024A”, involving naval and air forces to evaluate their combat readiness.

This show of strength is viewed as part of China’s ongoing strategy to intimidate Taiwan. The timing of these exercises coincides with the recent inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te. In his inaugural address, President Lai emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to democracy and freedom – a sentiment Beijing interpreted as a push for independence. The military drills are seen by many as a direct response to President Lai’s statements, which have drawn strong criticism from Beijing.

“All Taiwan independence separatist acts will be hit head-on by more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, and all Taiwan independence separatist forces will be hit hard in the face of the historical trend of China’s complete reunification,” said Wang Wenbin, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman.

In reaction to these exercises, Taiwan mobilized its air, ground, and naval forces. The defense ministry declared its readiness to protect its freedom and democracy. President Lai reiterated his commitment to safeguarding Taiwan and its values in a speech delivered on Thursday afternoon.

“Faced with external challenges and threats, we will continue to defend the values of freedom and democracy and safeguard peace and stability in the region,” he said.

Beijing has labeled President Lai a “dangerous separatist,” accusing him of pushing Taiwan towards conflict and decline. In an attempt to discourage Taiwanese independence efforts, the Chinese military released posters featuring rockets, jets, and naval vessels.

The drills took place in the Taiwan Strait and around several islands controlled by Taipei, including Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin. By 8:00 pm local time, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported detecting 49 jets and planes, with 35 crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

These military exercises are part of China’s broader strategy to exert pressure on Taiwan. Chinese officials have used strong language such as “strangle” and “severely impact,” warning that “Taiwan independence forces will be left with their heads broken and blood flowing after colliding against the great trend of China achieving complete unification.”

This intense rhetoric underscores the severity of this two-day drill and China’s determination to assert its dominance over Taiwan.