Caught in the Cross‑Fire: China’s Latest Taiwan Drills
On Monday, the People’s Liberation Army posted that it had been busy again around Taiwan, staging a series of drills aimed at tightening its joint combat playbook. The island, of course, has been flagging the increased activity for the past two years, especially near the southern and southwestern sections of its Air Defence Identification Zone (Adiz).
What Went Down
- Friday: Taiwan’s air force scrambles to nose‑check 18 Chinese planes that swooped into its Adiz.
- Saturday & Sunday: A handful of additional incursions, but fewer aircraft this time around.
- Eastern Theatre Command says the drills ran from Friday to Sunday, swarming the east and southwest of the island.
The aim? “To further test and improve the joint combat capability of multiple services and arms,” the statement read—no grand details, just the gist that they’re getting better at working together.
Equipment on Deck
- Bombers
- Fighters
- Anti‑submarine aircraft
Good news for the Taiwanese: No real shots have been fired, and the Chinese jets haven’t entered actual Taiwan airspace—just its broader Adiz zone. It’s like watching a mischievous pigeon sneak past a fence; plenty of time to swoop in if things overstep.
Beyond the Taiwanese Coast
Japan recently noted eight Chinese naval vessels—one of them an aircraft carrier—made their way between Okinawa’s southern islands, heading northeast of Taiwan. Meanwhile, Taiwan itself conducted pre‑planned missile drills along its southern and southeastern shores.
Under the Radar
China hasn’t ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. But Taiwan’s leadership remains adamant: the 23 million residents of the island are the ones who get to decide their future, not a distant bureaucratic chief in Beijing.
