China Encircles Taiwan with Major Military Drill

On April 1, 2025, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched a large-scale military drill surrounding Taiwan. The exercise involved land, sea, air, and rocket forces under the Eastern Theater Command. According to PLA spokesperson Colonel Shi Yi, the drill aims to enhance joint operational capabilities and focused on sea-air combat readiness, seizing comprehensive superiority, and simulated attacks on sea and land targets.

The PLA described the operation as a “strong deterrent” and a “stern warning” to what it calls separatist forces in Taiwan. Shi emphasized the drill was a legitimate and necessary action to defend China’s sovereignty and national unity.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense condemned the drill, labeling it an “irrational provocation” and reaffirmed its commitment to defending territorial integrity, freedom, and democracy. The ministry also reported sightings of 19 Chinese warships and the approach of the Shandong aircraft carrier near Taiwan.

Simultaneously, China’s Coast Guard conducted law enforcement patrols around the island, simulating inspection, seizure, and arrest drills on unauthorized vessels, according to spokesperson Zhu Anqing.

The drill is the latest in a series of military maneuvers conducted by China around Taiwan in recent years, especially following high-level U.S.-Taiwan contacts and Taiwanese political events. Such operations have been consistently named “Joint Sword” exercises.

Source: Anadolu Agency (based on publicly available report content)