By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI, Nov 13 (Reuters) – China conducted a large, unannounced military exercise in the Western Pacific and around Taiwan in early November, in what Taipei officials described as a campaign of “silent intimidation” aimed at pressuring Taiwan and other governments ahead of major international meetings.
A senior Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said that “China’s military and coast guard had at one point massed more than 100 ships in the region earlier this month, conducting exercises that included simulated attacks on other armed forces and cities, including Taiwan’s.”
The naval deployment was larger than “Mission Justice 2025,” China’s last officially named exercise targeting Taiwan nearly a year ago and one of China’s largest naval deployments to date, the official said.
The exercises come as China, which considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory, has stepped up its military pressure over the past five years, drawing condemnation from Taipei and increasing concern in Western capitals about the potential for conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a major political speech on Taiwan on Thursday, calling for peaceful “reunification” but making no mention of the use of force.
In recent exercises, a Chinese submarine also launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yellow Sea toward the Chinese mainland, the official said.
“It is a silent exercise – and in fact, silent intimidation,” they said.
“It’s like a robber hiding a gun in a coat pocket – with the muzzle pointed at the bank teller. This frightens the teller into handing over the money, while avoiding setting off the alarm and provoking a massive police response.”
China’s Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry referred Reuters to comments this week by Minister Wellington Koo saying China was conducting “area denial” exercises in the Western Pacific involving an aircraft carrier and other naval formations.
China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, said the aircraft carrier was carrying out “routine” exercises that are not directed against any country.
Beijing will host the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Shenzhen next week, where US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet for the third time this year. Taiwan also participates in APEC.
A foreign intelligence source said the “unnamed silent exercises,” given China’s lack of a public announcement, appeared deliberate, allowing Beijing to exert military pressure while avoiding a diplomatic backlash.
It is towards the end of the year, when the weather is generally calmer, that China normally conducts exercises, the person told Reuters.
COORDINATED NAVAL FORCES
China’s exercises involved coordinated naval forces from its Eastern, Northern and Southern theater commands, a scale that suggested Beijing was preparing not only a blockade scenario of Taiwan but also broader operations across the Western Pacific, the Taiwan official said.
It also suggests China’s efforts to integrate regional fleets into a single far-flung task force, the official said.
The scale of China’s naval deployment has diminished this week, with around 70 vessels operating in the first island chain on Friday, according to two Taiwanese security officials.
Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu released details of the latest deployments to
He added that Chinese air force activity also remained high near Taiwan.
The Global Times, a widely read and state-backed Chinese newspaper, said Friday that if Taiwan’s ruling party persists in “seeking independence by relying on external forces or military means,” dragging Taiwan’s people on their war chariot, they will inevitably face a harsh reckoning.
(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; editing by Saad Sayeed)
Gn world
