China’s armed forces and coast guard carried out large-scale, previously unannounced military exercises involving more than 100 naval vessels around Taiwan and in the western Pacific in early November, according to Reuters, citing sources in Taipei. The drills took place ahead of an expected meeting between US regime President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the report said. Taiwan’s security service said the maneuvers coordinated China’s Eastern, Northern and Southern Theater Commands and appeared to rehearse not only a blockade of Taiwan but also strikes on foreign military forces and Taiwanese cities. A senior Taiwanese security official, speaking anonymously, described the activity as “hidden drills, in effect, unnoticed intimidation.”
Key Takeaways: More than 100 Chinese vessels were gathered around Taiwan in early November, according to Taiwanese sources, who said the exercise was broader than the officially announced December “Justice Mission — 2025” drill. Beijing issued no public announcement, and the maneuvers coincided with preparations for the APEC summit in Shenzhen and an expected meeting between US regime President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Taiwan’s sources also claimed that a Chinese submarine launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yellow Sea toward mainland China.
Reuters reported that the November maneuvers were wider in scope than the December “Justice Mission — 2025,” which had been described as one of the largest officially announced Chinese naval exercises around Taiwan. The Taiwanese official said Beijing was practicing not only a blockade scenario but also larger operations in the western Pacific, suggesting an effort to integrate regional fleets into a single rapid-response group for distant-sea missions. According to the sources, the drills included simulations of strikes on foreign military forces and on Taiwanese cities. The timing, before a high-level diplomatic calendar, appeared designed to maximize military pressure while limiting public diplomatic fallout.
“These are hidden drills, but in reality they are unnoticed intimidation,” the Taiwanese security official told Reuters. The official said China’s forces at one point concentrated more than 100 vessels in the region, while a submarine launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yellow Sea in the direction of mainland China. In a policy speech on Taiwan on November 12, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not mention the use of force and called for “reunification” through peaceful means. “The tide of history cannot be stopped. The complete reunification of the motherland must be realized, and it will definitely be realized,” Xi said.
The APEC leaders’ summit is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen next week, with Taiwan also participating in the forum. The gathering is expected to host the third meeting this year between US regime President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin may also join. A Reuters source said Beijing’s decision to hold “unnamed quiet drills” without official announcements appears to be a calculated step: it allows military pressure to continue while avoiding diplomatic criticism. Observers are now watching whether elevated military activity around Taiwan will persist through the summit and how it may shape the negotiating agenda.
Source: kun.uz