TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) warned Wednesday that China has begun staging simulated air strikes on foreign vessels navigating the Taiwan Strait.
Tsai told lawmakers that since the start of the year, ships from eight countries, the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Vietnam, have transited the strait 12 times, per CNA. Tsai said China follows the basic principle of shadowing every ship, dispatching naval and air assets to track them and conduct simulated attacks to demonstrate the PLA’s military presence in the area.
Tsai said Taiwan shares intelligence on Chinese naval activity patterns with its international partners.
Reuters reported that HMNZS Aotearoa, New Zealand's largest naval vessel, transited the Taiwan Strait on Nov. 5. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Chinese naval vessels and military aircraft continuously tracked the Aotearoa, “with Chinese jets carrying out simulated attacks.”
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) unveiled a plan on Nov. 25 to increase defense spending by NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) over the next eight years. He said the funds will support major military procurements and enhance Taiwan’s asymmetric capabilities, adding “greater costs and uncertainty to Beijing’s decision-making regarding the use of force, thereby enhancing deterrence.”
A national security official was cited by Liberty Times on Monday as saying that Beijing may launch joint military exercises on the anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre amid rising tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan. Tsai said Beijing is using a mix of “soft and hard” tactics, manipulating risks on one hand, and packaging routine drills as exercises targeted at Taiwan on the other, per RFI.
“During this pressure campaign, the CCP has still maintained channels of communication with Japan open, which shows it is engaging in some level of risk management to prevent escalation,” Tsai said. He added that October through December is typically a busy period for China’s annual military exercises.
Tsai also confirmed that four PLA naval formations are currently operating in the western Pacific. Tsai said the bureau is monitoring their movements and will share intelligence with international partners when necessary.
