Meanwhile, the Chinese military has expanded this effort into a huge operation dubbed Strait Thunder-2025A. A centerpiece of this initiative are war games intended to enhance its tactical capacity to counter Chinese aggression in the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea. These large-scale, multinational, and integrated exercises are being led by the new Eastern Theatre Command. They began earlier this week and run through Thursday night. The drills, in turn, have raised concerns over escalating conflict in the area. They’ve created scenarios for cyberattacks on important infrastructures in Taiwan, fueling the anxiety over a coming war.
Its Strait Thunder-2025A operation, for example, intends to test several different military capabilities in concert. It should involve executing maritime blockade and control operations, as well as precision strikes on high-value targets such as ports and energy assets. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command, underscored the significance of these long-range live-fire drills. These drills were focused specifically on developing the skill to accurately strike presented targets.
Chinese military used the Shandong aircraft carrier group to take part in the island encirclement exercises. To mimic a successful blockade of Taiwan, they combined naval and air power to test the blockade’s effectiveness. This kind of strategic statecraft underlines China’s seriousness in bringing itself into a stronger position militarily within the region.
In a move reflective of the broader military operations, the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration has closed an area off the northern part of Zhejiang province for shipping activities. This no-go area extends around 500 kilometers from Taiwan, underscoring how seriously China is approaching these exercises.
Taiwan’s official response to the military exercises has been one of condemnation. A representative from Taiwan’s Presidential Office took a stand against China’s military delinquencies. They further warned that such actions have escalated tensions in the Taiwan Strait and weakened security throughout the entire region. They stated that the exercises represent a dangerous heightening of tensions. This increase in conflict might not only threaten neighboring countries such as Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.
“Long-range live-fire drills” were carried out in order to practise hitting “simulated targets of key ports and energy facilities” during the exercises. – Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman of the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command
Taiwanese leaders are understandably spooked by what these drills could mean. Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s leader, criticized China’s maneuvers, stating, “this is only demonstrating that China is a troublemaker in this region.” Cross-strait relations have become far more difficult as a result of Beijing’s increasing military aggression. China views Taiwan as a wayward province that will one day rejoin the mainland.
