China initiated a massive display of military force on Saturday, sending 71 warplanes near Taiwan as part of a three-day series of military exercises and "combat readiness patrols" around the self-governed island. This show of strength comes just days after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, angering Beijing.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command, responsible for operations in the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, announced that the "Joint Sword" drills and combat patrols would take place in the waters and airspace north, south, and east of Taiwan, concluding on Monday. Senior Col. Shi Yi, a spokesman for the Eastern Theater, said the drills are "a serious warning against the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces' collusion and provocation with external forces, and it is a necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported detecting 71 Chinese aircraft and nine naval vessels near the island by 4 p.m. on Saturday. Forty-five of the warplanes crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, a division intended to prevent military aircraft from both sides from coming too close and causing conflict. This marks one of the highest single-day tallies of Chinese aircraft near Taiwan since 2020.
China's state-run CCTV showed footage of the drills, reporting that the Chinese military would "simultaneously organize patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture." The state-run Global Times reported that the army, navy, air force, and rocket force were all participating in the drills, detailing the deployment of various weapons such as long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, and fighter jets.
Concurrently, live-fire drills began off the coast of China's Fujian province, opposite the Taiwan Strait. Further live-fire exercises are scheduled in the area near Pingtan county on April 11, 13, 15, 17, and 20.
In response to the military exercises, Taiwan's Defense Ministry called them a threat to "regional peace, stability, and security," accusing China of using President Tsai's U.S. visit as an excuse for the drills.
Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and does not rule out force to claim the island, has decried Tsai's meeting with McCarthy as "collusion" between Washington and Taipei, promising "resolute and effective measures" in retaliation.
Upon returning to Taiwan, Tsai said her trip demonstrated Taiwan's determination to defend freedom and democracy against pressure and threats. She stated that the island would "absolutely not yield to suppression" and efforts to block international exchanges.
These large-scale military exercises have raised concerns in the region and beyond, particularly in Tokyo, where officials fear that conflict in the Taiwan Strait could also pose a threat to Japan. The mounting tensions have led to a significant shift in Japan's security policy and increased defense spending.
