China says launches military drills in Taiwan Strait

China’s military conducted live-fire drills on Wednesday, simulating strikes on key Taiwanese ports and energy infrastructure, in a fresh show of force that escalates tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

The surprise exercises, named Strait Thunder-2025A, were swiftly condemned by the U.S., which accused Beijing of “intimidation tactics” following remarks from Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who recently referred to China as a foreign hostile force.

According to Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command, the exercises tested the forces’ ability to impose a blockade and conduct “precision strikes on key targets.”

The drills were concentrated in the central and southern Taiwan Strait, a vital corridor for global trade.

Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed the drills were ongoing but did not provide further details. Taipei responded by dispatching its own air and naval forces in a Rapid Response Exercise, signaling heightened military preparedness.

Unprecedented military presence

On Tuesday, Taiwan reported a significant buildup of Chinese military assets, including:

• 21 warships, the highest number detected in nearly a year, led by the Shandong aircraft carrier group.
• 71 aircraft, marking the largest aerial presence since October 2024.
• Four coast guard vessels added pressure to Taiwan’s maritime defenses.

Beijing has steadily increased its military presence near Taiwan, particularly since Lai took office in May 2024, adopting a stronger stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty compared to his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen.

U.S. response and strategic ambiguity

The U.S. State Department warned that China’s aggressive posturing risks destabilizing regional security and global economic stability. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed America’s commitment to maintaining a “robust, ready, and credible deterrence” in the region.

While Washington is legally obligated to supply arms to Taiwan, it has long maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity—leaving open whether it would directly intervene in the event of a Chinese attack.

Analyst Wen-Ti Sung suggested China is using repeated stress tests to gauge U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to defending Taiwan and its allies.

Beijing’s strategy

While full-scale invasion remains a possibility, analysts speculate China is more likely to attempt a naval blockade, which would be logistically easier and carry fewer military risks than an all-out attack.

Beijing has held several large-scale military drills in recent years, frequently described as rehearsals for such a strategy.

The tensions trace back to 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists.

While Taiwan has never declared formal independence, Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) maintain that Taiwan is “already independent.”

With China ramping up military pressure and the U.S. reaffirming deterrence, the Taiwan Strait remains a potential flashpoint in an increasingly tense geopolitical landscape.