Military activities in China heighten
Increased Chinese Military Activity Around Taiwan: A Tense Standoff
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait have escalated in 2025, with China ramping up its military activities in a bid to assert control over the island and counter U.S. influence.
China's Gray-Zone Tactics
Beijing has been intensifying its "gray-zone" tactics, including frequent sorties by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait median line, naval harassment near Taiwanese waters, and preparations for possible coercive or invasion scenarios under Xi Jinping's leadership.
Causes of the Escalation
China views Taiwan as a "core interest" and considers it part of its sovereign territory. Beijing has rejected Taiwanese independence and warned regional players not to interfere. The increased military activity can also be attributed to China's "anaconda strategy," aiming to slowly encircle and isolate Taiwan, and to the increased U.S. support for Taiwan and military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Joint Exercises with Russia
In a show of solidarity, China and Russia conducted joint naval drills in the Pacific Ocean in 2025. These exercises demonstrated deepening military cooperation to counterbalance U.S. influence in the region.
Implications of the Tensions
The heightened military activity risks accidental escalation and destabilization in the Taiwan Strait, a critical region for international trade and regional security. Taiwan is responding by enhancing its own defense readiness, including larger live-fire drills involving reservists. The situation complicates U.S.-China relations, as the U.S. reaffirms its commitment to Taiwan's defense and regional partners strengthen military alliances.
Recent Incidents
In a notable incident, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter was deployed to surveil a Chinese aircraft that was spotted flying from the East China Sea to airspace between Taiwan proper and Japan’s Yonaguni Island. The Taiwanese armed forces responded to the Chinese PLA aircraft and ship movements by deploying fighters, warships, and alerting air and coast defense missile units.
The Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan reported 63 incursions by Chinese craft into waters and airspace around Taiwan between 6am on Wednesday and 6am Thursday. A wave of 31 Chinese craft, consisting of fighters, fighter-bombers, and uncrewed aerial vehicles, was tracked from 5:45am to 7:50am on Thursday. Taiwan's armed forces tracked 15 PLA aircraft around Taiwan proper during the same period, with 14 entering Taiwan's northern defense zone.
The rise in Chinese military activity coincided with former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to Taiwan. It is important to note that the Chinese aircraft mentioned in the Japanese statement was not included in the Ministry of National Defense's count.
As the standoff continues, Taiwan and its allies remain on high alert, navigating a complex web of regional tensions.
- The increased Chinese military activities around Taiwan, as seen in the frequent crossings of the Taiwan Strait median line by PLA aircraft and naval harassment near Taiwanese waters, are a part of Beijing's politics and general news, involving Chinese-Taiwan conflicts.
- The heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, arising from China's war-and-conflict strategies such as China's gray-zone tactics and the anaconda strategy, have significant implications for international trade and regional security, and have garnered attention in the realm of politics and general news.
