China conducted military drills around Taiwan for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, focusing on the Taiwan Strait, a vital waterway for international trade that separates Taiwan from China. The exercises, named Strait Thunder-2025A, took place in the central and southern regions of the strait, according to a spokesperson from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Taiwan’s military closely monitored the drills but reported no unusual activities on the island, which has a population of 23 million people and is claimed by China as its own territory. The exercises aimed to test various military capabilities, including identification and verification, warning and expulsion, interception, and detention. These operations were designed to enhance troops’ abilities in area regulation, joint blockade and control, and precision strikes on critical targets.
Taiwan reported that 76 military aircraft and 19 naval or government ships had entered its waters and airspace near the island. Notably, 37 aircraft crossed the unofficial center line of the Taiwan Strait, which China does not recognize as a boundary. The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong also entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, coordinating with naval and air units in the Pacific Ocean east of Taiwan.
The drills focused on achieving air superiority in the region and assessing the integration of military operations both inside and outside the island chain, which includes nearby islands such as the Philippines, Okinawa, and southern Japan.
China has increasingly conducted military activities around Taiwan, with daily sorties of warplanes and naval vessels. Taiwanese officials have warned that these exercises could be a prelude to a potential surprise attack.
The situation has drawn attention from the U.S., which maintains strong alliances in the region and provides Taiwan with advanced weaponry. The U.S. is legally obligated to respond to threats against Taiwan. A U.S. State Department spokesperson condemned China’s aggressive military actions, emphasizing America’s commitment to its allies, including Taiwan.
Taiwan has established a central response group to monitor the ongoing drills, with Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirming its formation. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated that the exercises were aimed at deterring Taiwan’s pro-independence President Lai Ching-te, whose administration strongly opposes Chinese rule.
Taiwan and China have been politically separated since the end of the Chinese Civil War 76 years ago. However, tensions have escalated since 2016 when China severed nearly all official communications with Taipei.
