August M
China’s largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan are rippling beyond security circles, disrupting trade routes and air traffic while sharpening fears of a future blockade.
As live-fire drills continue, Taipei is balancing military readiness with efforts to avoid further escalation.
Economic shock
Analysts say a Chinese blockade of Taiwan would have sweeping economic consequences.
The island sits astride key global shipping and aviation lanes, with about $2.45 trillion in trade passing through the Taiwan Strait each year, Reuters reported.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Authority said 11 of the island’s 14 flight routes were affected by the drills, though no international flights were cancelled.
Routes to the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu near China’s coast were blocked, affecting roughly 6,000 passengers.
According to Reuters, international airlines were diverting traffic through two air corridors left open by China to Taiwan’s northeast, heading toward Japan.
Live-fire expansion
China fired rockets into waters north and south of Taiwan on Tuesday, the second day of what Beijing has called “Justice Mission 2025,” according to Reuters.
The Eastern Theatre Command said live-firing would continue until 6 p.m., covering five areas around the island. It also released video appearing to show a PCH-191 mobile rocket launcher firing into the sea from an undisclosed location in China.
Naval and air force units practised strikes on maritime and aerial targets, along with anti-submarine operations to Taiwan’s north and south, the Chinese military said.
Weapons message
The drills began 11 days after the United States announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan. Reuters said the exercises are Beijing’s largest by area and the closest yet to the island.
A senior Taiwan security official told Reuters that authorities are watching whether China will again fire missiles over Taiwan, as it did in 2022 following a visit by then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The source said China appeared to be rehearsing strikes on land-based systems such as the U.S.-made HIMARS rocket launcher, which has a range of about 300 km.
Pressure builds
Fourteen Chinese coastguard vessels were operating around Taiwan’s contiguous zone, some in standoffs with Taiwanese ships, a coast guard official told Reuters. “We adopted a one-to-one parallel navigation approach,” the official said.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said 130 Chinese military aircraft and 22 navy and coastguard vessels had operated around the island in the previous 24 hours.
President Lai Ching-te said on Facebook that frontline troops were prepared to defend Taiwan, while stressing that Taipei did not seek to escalate the situation.
Sources: Reuters
