Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fleet Conducts Training off Taiwan Coast...Taiwan Military Also Conducts Live-Fire Drills

China "Regular Exercises to Be Conducted in Taiwan Waters"
Taiwan Military Responds with Live-Fire Drills... Tensions Rise

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] China has sent an aircraft carrier fleet consisting of six ships, including the Liaoning, to conduct training in the waters near Taiwan, while the Taiwanese military announced live-fire exercises in response, escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government claims this is a measure in response to the United States first dispatching an aircraft carrier strike group to the South China Sea and has stated that it will regularly conduct training in the waters near Taiwan going forward.

On the 6th, according to foreign media including China's state-run Global Times, the Chinese Navy announced that an aircraft carrier fleet composed of six ships, including China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is conducting training in the waters off Taiwan. The Chinese Navy stated, "We are conducting routine training to enhance military capabilities to protect China's sovereignty, security, and national interests," adding, "Similar training will be regularly conducted near the island of Taiwan in the future."

Earlier, on the 4th, Japan's Ministry of Defense reported that the Liaoning fleet passed through the Miyako Strait south of Okinawa and headed toward the Pacific Ocean, drawing attention to the movements of the Liaoning. This was the first time in a year since April last year that the Liaoning passed through the Miyako Strait. While China's second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, passed through the straits near Taiwan in 2019, this is the first time the Liaoning has publicly conducted training in the waters off Taiwan.

The Global Times reported that the day before, the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt entered the South China Sea, and a U.S. Navy destroyer entered the Yangtze River estuary, describing these as training exercises in response to U.S. provocations. The Quad military alliance, centered on the United States and including Japan, Australia, and India, reportedly conducted joint military exercises with the French Navy in the eastern Bay of Bengal near India on the same day.

The Taiwanese government also announced live-fire exercises in response. According to Taiwan's Apple Daily and others, the Taiwanese military and coast guard will conduct live-fire exercises on the 25th of this month and the 2nd of next month in the waters near the Pratas Islands, which Taiwan effectively controls. The Taiwanese military stated that the exercises will include counterattack drills using anti-tank rockets, simulating a Chinese military landing operation.

As military conflicts between the U.S. and China and across the Taiwan Strait intensify in the South China Sea, the Taiwanese government is expected to further strengthen its maritime defense capabilities. It is known that the Taiwanese government plans to deploy supersonic anti-ship missiles and Stinger missiles during wartime and invest approximately 14.44 billion New Taiwan dollars (about 570 billion Korean won) to build 12 additional Tuojiang-class ships by 2026.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.