May 25 in Washington, DC:
According to Focus Taiwan, the US State Department stated that it was "monitoring very closely" in conjunction with the island nation following two days of military drills by China in the Taiwan Strait and nearby areas. The US also expressed confidence in China's present force posture and operations in the region to maintain peace and stability. The reports of joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and its surroundings have caused alarm, according to a State Department spokesman who responded to CNA's email.
An other point made by the representative was that the norms that have kept the peace in the region for decades are being undermined by China's actions, which threaten to escalate the situation. According to Focus Taiwan, the representative went on to say that China should not exploit the political transition in Taiwan as an excuse for aggressive or manipulative policies.
In order to fulfil its national security obligations and maintain peace and stability in the region, the US feels confident in its present military posture, according to the spokeswoman. The "Joint Sword-2024A" military exercises in Taiwan's surrounding waters and airspace were announced on Thursday by the PLA's Eastern Theatre Command. This comes just three days after President Lai Ching-te was sworn in.
According to the China-based Xinhua News Agency, the manoeuvres centre around cooperative sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint capture of total battlefield control, and joint precision strikes on important targets. "The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, and the north, south and east of Taiwan Island, as well as areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin," according to the report.
Ahead of Thursday's events, President Lai addressed the 66th Brigade of the Marine Corps in Taoyuan. He vowed to keep pushing for defence reforms to defend democracy and freedom from outside threats, as well as to ensure peace and stability in the region. This shows the world that Taiwan is determined to defend its democracy.
No live-fire exercises by the PLA have been observed around the Taiwan Strait, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) on the same day. The number of Chinese coast guard vessels and PLA warships in the vicinity was 19 as of 6 p.m. For the purpose of protecting democracy, freedom, and Taiwan's sovereignty, the MND stated that it will deploy naval, aviation, and ground forces within the regular preparation period in accordance with established protocols.
In his commentary on the matter, Jude Blanchette—the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS—said that the drills are an attempt to increase political pressure on Taiwan and provide President Lai with "an early test." According to Focus Taiwan, Blanchette went on to say that Beijing uses these kinds of exercises to establish a new normal, as was seen during the visit of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
