Taipei: Taiwan’s defense ministry reported a sharp increase in Chinese military activity on Wednesday, though officials confirmed that no live-fire drills had been detected in a designated exercise zone off the island’s southwestern coast.
The self-governed island, which China claims as its own, had previously condemned Beijing’s decision to establish a “shooting” drill zone in the southwestern Taiwan Strait near major cities Kaohsiung and Pingtung. Taiwan’s government criticized the move as reckless and provocative, warning that it posed a risk to commercial air and maritime traffic. China has yet to respond to these allegations.
Chinese Military Presence Intensifies
According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, 45 Chinese military aircraft and 14 navy vessels were observed operating near the island within a 24-hour period. Seven of these ships were identified within the Chinese-declared drill zone, situated 40 nautical miles off Taiwan’s coast.
An accompanying ministry map showed that the exercise area spanned 70 nautical miles in length and 20 nautical miles in width—remaining outside Taiwan’s territorial waters but within the island’s broader security perimeter.
No Live-Fire Drills Confirmed
Despite heightened tensions, senior Taiwanese officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that no live-fire exercises had been detected in the designated zone. They characterized the latest Chinese maneuvers as resembling previous military activities seen in the South China Sea and near Australia, where Beijing has been accused of conducting naval operations with minimal or no prior notification.
“This is extremely rare and exceeds general expectations,” one of the officials remarked, referring to China’s decision to proceed with military exercises without prior warning.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry denounced China as the “biggest troublemaker” in the region and urged the international community to remain vigilant.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the international community to continue to pay attention to the security of the Taiwan Strait and the region, and to jointly condemn China’s repeated and unilateral actions,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
U.S. Responds to Rising Tensions
Speaking in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to comment on whether the United States would intervene if China attempted to take control of Taiwan by force.
However, in an interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s long-standing commitment to Taiwan, emphasizing that any forced or coercive change in Taiwan’s status would not be tolerated.
“America has existing commitments that it has made to prevent that from happening and to react to it, and that would be executed on… The Chinese are aware of this as well,” Rubio stated when asked about possible U.S. actions in the event of a Chinese attack.
Beijing’s Political Agenda and Military Buildup
China is set to convene its annual parliamentary session next week, a key domestic political event during which the country will unveil its defense budget. The timing of its recent military maneuvers has drawn scrutiny, particularly as March marks the 20th anniversary of China’s “anti-secession law”—legislation that permits the use of force against Taiwan under certain conditions, though its provisions remain ambiguous.
A third senior Taiwanese official, familiar with cross-strait policy, suggested that Beijing’s latest military maneuvers could be an attempt to heighten tensions ahead of the parliamentary session and the anniversary.
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“They escalated the level of intimidation for no reason. It is not conducive to cross-strait stability and relations at all,” the official said.
Taiwan Detains Chinese Cargo Ship Over Cable Damage
Meanwhile, Taiwan detained a China-linked cargo vessel on suspicion of damaging an undersea communication cable. Prosecutors in Tainan ordered the detention of the ship’s Chinese captain late on Wednesday, while the seven other crew members were barred from leaving the island.
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China dismissed Taiwan’s accusations, claiming that undersea cable damage is a routine occurrence worldwide.
