People’s Liberation Army

After Lai Trip, China Deploys Largest Number of Naval Vessels Around Taiwan Since 1996

China has deployed a large number of vessels around Taiwan, with the Taiwanese military reporting the largest number of naval ships deployed by China since 1996. An uptick in air incursions has also taken place, with 47 detected between 6 AM on Monday and 6 AM on Tuesday. At the same time, it is yet unclear how many ships there are. Reuters reported yesterday that 90 coast guard and naval vessels had been detected, but the Taiwanese military has stated that only 12 naval vessels and nine other ships were detected...

Mere Days After the Inauguration, China Launches Military Drills Around Taiwan to Depict Lai as Provocative

China has again launched a set of military exercises around Taiwan. The drills take place around the north, east, and south of Taiwan, in the Taiwan Straits, and around outlying islands of Taiwan and are titled “Joint Sword,” signifying that these drills are following up from Chinese military drills in April 2023...

One-Day Uptick in Chinese Military Activity Observed After Lai Transit

China launched another set of military drills after vice president William Lai returned from his trip to the US and Paraguay. Lai’s trip involved a stopover in San Francisco and New York City. Though the ostensible main purpose of the trip was to attend the presidential inauguration of Paraguayan president Santiago Peña, there was greater attention to the sensitivity of Lai’s transit through the US, given the possibility of a reaction from China...

As China Uses Lai Trip as Pretext for Exercises, Will the Drills be Blown Out of Proportion Internationally?

The Chinese government has announced that it will conduct military exercises in the East China Sea starting today until the 14th, in an area approximately 500 kilometers away from Taiwan. Yesterday morning, the Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration announced a no-sail order lasting from 12 PM today until 4 PM on August 14th in the area the exercises are slated to take place...