TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's top intelligence official said Monday that joint China-Russia naval drills are intended to demonstrate their strategic partnership and counter the defensive posture established by US allies along the First Island Chain.
National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) made the remarks ahead of a legislative committee meeting as China and Russia began their annual "Joint Sea-2026" exercise in the Yellow Sea, per Liberty Times. He said the two countries conduct one or two joint air patrols and naval exercises each year and are expanding the scope of joint operations.
Tsai said the exercises are intended to counter the denial-and-defense strategy established by US allies along the First Island Chain and reflect the broader strategic rivalry between Beijing and Moscow and the US and its Indo-Pacific partners. He said Taiwan will continue exchanging intelligence with international partners to monitor developments.
Tsai said the bureau had anticipated the exercise before China's Ministry of National Defense announced it on Sunday and had briefed President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) during routine national security meetings, Liberty Times reported. He added that Taiwan's intelligence agencies, the defense ministry, and international partners are closely tracking Chinese and joint China-Russia military activities.
On Friday, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said on X that Taiwan is tracking more than 110 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels operating along the First Island Chain, a record high, per SET News. Wu criticized China, saying, “This bully has too much money to throw around, but none for its own people.”
Commenting on Wu's post, Tsai said July through September is typically the PLA's peak season for theater-level military exercises and that maritime deployments have increased, per UDN. He said the four PLA naval formations operating in the western Pacific include one in the South Pacific, two south of Japan's Amami Oshima, and one in waters off Santa Ana, east of the Philippines.
