China Escalates Military Tensions with Live-Fire Drills Surrounding Taiwan
China’s military has ramped up its provocative actions in the Taiwan Strait with a high-stakes live-fire exercise, simulating strikes on vital ports and energy infrastructure.
The exercise, dubbed “Strait Thunder,” marks a significant escalation following military drills conducted just a day earlier around Taiwan—an island that China claims as its own territory despite its democratic governance.
The Taiwanese government swiftly condemned the military maneuvers, calling them “military provocations” amid increasingly tense cross-strait relations.
These exercises coincide with a sharp uptick in Beijing’s hostile rhetoric towards Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese officials have labeled as a “parasite” and “separatist” in a fiery campaign of public denunciations. Lai had previously described China as a “foreign hostile force,” intensifying the friction.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) issued a stark warning through its statements, claiming that the drills were a “serious warning and powerful containment” of what it termed “Taiwan independence” separatists. The PLA released a series of cartoons depicting President Lai as a “poisonous parasite” and a figure destined for “ultimate destruction.” One particularly dramatic illustration showed Lai being grilled over an open flame.
Further amplifying the rhetoric, the PLA produced a video titled “Subdue Demons and Vanquish Evils,” which likened China’s military might to the magical powers of the Monkey King, a mythical figure renowned for overcoming formidable adversaries.
In the Chinese Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, People’s Daily, Lai was labeled a “troublemaker” and a “warmonger,” with one op-ed reading: “Facts have fully proven that Lai Ching-te is a vicious war maker. Subdue demons, vanquish evils—use force to stop war.”
Though the exact catalyst for these drills was not specified, Beijing’s actions appear closely tied to policies Lai announced last month to counter Chinese infiltration and influence operations. In those remarks, Lai used the term “foreign hostile force” in reference to China. The timing of these military exercises, just after the conclusion of high-profile international meetings—including those between Chinese President Xi Jinping and global business leaders at the Boao Forum—suggests that China may have waited for a strategic moment to launch the drills, when global attention was focused elsewhere.
In response to China’s escalating actions, the White House issued a statement emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, reaffirming the U.S.’s commitment to Taiwan’s security. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also criticized China’s increasing aggression in the region, underscoring the United States’ pledge to provide “robust, ready, and credible deterrence,” particularly within the Taiwan Strait.
Experts warn that China’s military exercises are becoming a more regular fixture rather than sporadic responses to specific events. Many believe that these drills are a dress rehearsal for a potential blockade, with Beijing practicing “close-in maneuvers” that simulate encirclement of Taiwan from all directions.
Analysts see the increasing frequency and scale of these exercises as part of Beijing’s strategy to exert psychological pressure on Taiwan’s population, trying to create an environment where a peaceful annexation by China seems inevitable.
Despite Beijing’s aggressive tactics, Taiwanese public opinion remains steadfast. Polls consistently show that the majority of Taiwan’s people oppose any form of takeover by China, especially under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.
Taiwanese officials have cautioned that further military drills could take place later this year, particularly around key dates such as Lai’s presidential anniversary or Taiwan’s National Day in October.
While the Chinese drills are undoubtedly a cause for concern, they also offer Taiwan’s military a unique opportunity to study and prepare. Each new exercise serves as a valuable learning experience, helping Taiwan refine its defense strategy and bolster its readiness in the face of increasing Chinese pressure.
