Taiwan has reported an unprecedented deployment of Chinese military assets, with nearly 90 warships and coast guard vessels along the "first island chain," linking Okinawa, Taiwan, and the Philippines. This is believed to be one of Beijing's largest military exercises, following Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s visits to the United States last week.
The Taiwanese defense ministry also detected 47 Chinese aircraft near the island in the past 24 hours, marking the highest single-day figure since mid-October. According to ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang, the scale of these maneuvers exceeds China's response to past events like Nancy Pelosi's 2022 Taiwan visit.
Despite the heightened activity, China has not officially announced the exercises. Beijing maintains its claim over Taiwan and has warned against the island’s deepening ties with the United States. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed America's commitment to maintaining stability in the region during his visit to Japan.