Name: China drills around Taiwan to send deterring signal
Uploaded: 2025-12-29T23:10:50.166Z
Duration: 4 min 53 s
Description: China has launched its most extensive military exercises around Taiwan in more than a year, mobilizing naval, air and ground forces.

China has launched its most extensive military exercises around Taiwan in more than a year, mobilizing naval, air and ground forces.

Taipei City

Chinese military drills around Taiwan have increased in intensity, range, and proximity, with 14 naval and Coast Guard vessels operating just outside Taiwan's territorial waters. According to William Yang of the International Crisis Group, these drills are intended to send a deterrent message to Taiwan, the United States, Japan, and other concerned countries, while providing valuable intelligence for defense planning.

Japan has responded to the heightened military activity by approving record defense spending and considering deeper ties with regional partners. Meanwhile, the Taiwanese public has become accustomed to such exercises, but negative perceptions of China are increasing, and experts warn that coercive measures are unlikely to sway public opinion toward reunification, potentially heightening tensions in the region.

China drills around Taiwan to 'send deterring signal'

William Yang joins us from the International Crisis Group. William, are these military drills or a military threat? Yes, I think increasingly the actual level of threat that these military exercises are going to pose to Taiwan and the region is on the rise. If we look at the latest drills that have taken place on Monday and then will extend into Tuesday, the zones that the POA has established for the lifeguard drills are really getting much closer to Taiwan's actual territorial sea. And on Monday, 14 naval vessels from China's Navy and also the Coast Guard vessels are operating just right outside Taiwan's territorial water. I think compared to the similar military exercises in the past, the intensity, the range, and also the proximity of China's operations are definitely much closer to Taiwan's territorial waters. And I think it's intended to send a very deterring signal both to the government in Taiwan, but also to the US and Japan and other like-minded countries that are increasingly concerned about Chinese military operations and the expensive Chinese military development in the region. But all of this, of course, is being done out in the open. Is there a lot Taiwan and the US can draw from these simulations? Yeah, I think, you know, because of the particular strategies that are still involved in each of these large-scale blockade-style military exercises that the POA are conducting around Taiwan almost routinely for twice a year at least, you know, there are still valuable lessons for the Taiwanese military and the US and other like-minded countries to take away. For example, the types of weapons and also the formation of the operations that the different branches of Chinese military are conducting or incorporating into these drills are definitely lessons that should quickly be incorporated and assessed by the Taiwanese military and also the US military. And also, you know, they should start the discussion with like-minded allies in the region about how to actually deter and also prepare for similar attacks in the future launched by the Chinese military. Well, talking about allies, where does neighbouring Japan stand in all of this? We know that the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takahashi have very openly expressed her concern about a future, you know, Chinese attack on Taiwan and what that would mean for Japan's security. And at this point, we are not seeing Tokyo stepping down from that position. Rather, they have just passed and approved a record new level of defence spending for 2026. And there has also been a lot more movement from Japan to consider deepening defence-related ties with not only just the United States, but other countries in the region like the Philippines. So I think as China intensify its military pressure on Taiwan and other, you know, regional countries, Japan is definitely going to closely evaluate the impact of this trend. And actually, it might actually prompt Japan to further embrace on the efforts to also enhance its defence capabilities in the coming years. And at the same time, how do these drills affect Taiwan's civilian life and economic activity? And what does this do for public sentiment towards Beijing? So, you know, I think at the at this particular point, the Taiwanese general public have become so used to these large scale military exercises that have started since 2022 that in general, they won't have a dramatic reaction to it. But I think fundamentally, they will begin to have a lot more potentially negative views and perceptions about China because of the level of pressure that has increased on Taiwan and, you know, also viewing the, I think, sense of urgency that has been shown by China's recent moves against Taiwan to try to push for reunification. So, you know, I think all these more coercive measures are unlikely to really convince the Taiwanese people to consider reunification with China as an option for them to accept. And that would, I think, indeed, you know, further heighten the tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and potentially lead to an unwanted result and outcome that, you know, no one in the international community would like to see. Okay, William, we'll have to leave it there. Thanks for talking to us again from San Francisco.

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