Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense Denounces Recent Chinese Military Exercises

What Happened?

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense issued a statement denouncing nearby naval exercises conducted by China.

It said, “During this period it (China) blatantly violated international practice by setting up a drills area in waters about 40 nautical miles off the coast ... without prior warning, claiming that it would carry out shooting training.” 

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry also said they sent an unspecified number of their own ships and planes to monitor Chinese military assets in the area.

Why it Matters

The live fire exercises by China conducted in the Taiwanese Straight and the military assets from Taiwan sent to monitor the Chinese forces meant that two potential adversaries were in close proximity. 

While that isn’t uncommon, each time it happens, the slightest error or miscalculation by one side could cause an incident that could be used as a pretext for war. 

When Taiwanese and Chinese ships and aircraft get within firing range of each other, which appears to have been the case with this latest event, one over eager pilot could take a shot that has the potential to turn into a larger conflict. 

The international community is used to the heated political rhetoric between China and Taiwan. But the close proximity of military forces that occurred without prior notice from one side to the other demonstrates that tensions remain high between the two countries. 

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te struck a more cautious tone, saying:

“Maintaining regional peace and stability is the common responsibility of both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Just the day before China began the naval exercises, China’s official state newspaper quoted high ranking party officials as calling for “greater effort in the cause of Chinese reunification.”

China has taken a more aggressive stance on what it calls reunification with Taiwan, and naval exercises like this one are what the U.S. military would call a “show of force.” The idea is to intimidate an adversary without firing any shots at them. 

When done correctly a display of military prowess can have an intimidating effect on a potential adversary. But if done too often such displays can provide valuable information on how you operate thus actually giving an adversary a potential advantage.

How it Affects You

China claims Taiwan as part of its own territory, while Taiwan and its government rejects China’s claims of sovereignty. This dispute has been ongoing for a long time. But recent rhetoric by China and more aggressive military activities have brought the issue back to the forefront for both China and Taiwan. 

China has invested heavily in developing new military technology and capabilities. It’s difficult to tell whether China’s leaders are looking for a way to justify that investment or whether they have become more intent on actually making good on their reunification rhetoric. 

Nations are not monolithic, meaning there are often several different agendas competing for dominance beneath the surface, and China is no different.