Taiwan’s government warned on Tuesday that China’s continuous military drills near its coastlines were not just a practice run for an invasion of the small, self-governing island, but also an indicator that Beijing aims to seize control of vast areas of the western Pacific. The warning came as Taiwan’s military performed its own drills, evidently designed to demonstrate preparedness to repel any Chinese invasion.
China believes Taiwan to be its own territory, and President Xi Jinping has stated his intention to assert authority over the island, including force if necessary.
His administration was enraged by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent travel to Taiwan, which Beijing saw as a direct threat to China’s claim to the island. In reaction, Beijing promptly conducted spectacular military drills near Taiwan, as well as terminating a variety of cooperative agreements with the US ranging from defense to the environment.
During the exercises, China has flown airplanes beyond the maritime border that divides Chinese and Taiwanese seas on a regular basis, as well as launching missiles into the waters around the island.
“China has employed maneuvers from its military playbook to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan,” claimed the island’s foreign minister, Joseph Wu, on Tuesday. “China’s true objective is to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and across the region.”
Here are a few key points to grasp about the current military drills and the capability of both sides.
What are China’s military drills off the coast of Taiwan meant to demonstrate?
China’s military maneuvers, which have been unparalleled in scope and ferocity, have attempted to encircle the democratic, self-governing island with six active zones. China has shown and rehearsed blocking off access to the Taiwan Strait, which divides the island from the Chinese mainland. In the process, it has severely limited access to Taiwan’s key ports.
CHINA-TAIWAN-US-DIPLOMACY-MILITARY
On August 6, 2022, a Chinese military plane passes over Pingtan island, one of mainland China’s closest points to Taiwan, in Fujian province.
GETTY/AFP/HECTOR RETAMAL
The drills show China’s military operating in regions where it might assault Taiwan’s key military sites and effectively block escape by sea.
According to the US Defense Department, China will not launch an invasion of Taiwan over the next two years. However, China’s protracted display of force is regarded as an effort to legitimize Chinese aggression in the Taiwan Strait, not only as a practice for a siege and invasion.
How does Taiwan’s military do in comparison to China’s? Is it capable of defending itself?
In comparison to China, Taiwan has less than 200,000 active-duty military troops. Taiwan’s obligatory military service – for males only — lasts barely four months, which is arguably insufficient time to train troops for active conflict.
Taiwan has one-fifth the number of combat aircraft as China, and the majority of its fighter planes are obsolete.
Taiwan undertook what it termed “normally planned defense exercises” this week, firing artillery out to sea. Hundreds of soldiers participated in the practice, which included several dozen howitzer artillery pieces.
Taiwan, United States, and China
On August 9, 2022, the Taiwanese military conducts artillery live-fire training at Fangshan township in Pingtung, southern Taiwan.
LAI, JOHNSON/AP
According to war simulations conducted by US specialists, if the US helped defend Taiwan from a hypothetical Chinese assault, the island could effectively repel invasion. However, the physical and economic devastation to Taiwan, not to mention the cost to US soldiers, would be huge.
President Biden has said that if China attempts an invasion, the US would act militarily to protect Taiwan.
Mainland On this map, China and territory controlled by the Chinese government are portrayed in yellow, while area claimed by but not controlled by Beijing, including Taiwan, is depicted in brown.
Could the war simulations have an influence on global commerce if they continue?
Despite China’s decision to extend its military drills indefinitely this week, shipping in the Taiwan Strait — one of the busiest maritime and aviation routes in the Asia Pacific region — looked to be back to normal on Tuesday after minor inconveniences.
However, we are seeing Chinese aggressiveness in non-military contexts as well.
According to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, Apple has instructed its component suppliers to cease using “Made in Taiwan” labels on shipments heading for China and instead identify components as “Taiwan, China,” or “Chinese Taipei.”