Taiwan defies China's military maneuvers: Blockade fails, international concern grows
In a new escalation of tensions in East Asia, official accounts from Beijing and Taipei diverged regarding the results of the intensive military exercises conducted by the Chinese army around Taiwan. While China declared its forces successful in achieving their strategic objectives through live-fire drills, Taiwan was quick to describe the attempts to "encircle the island" as a failure, reflecting the depth of the political and military crisis between the two sides.
Details of the military maneuvers and troop buildups
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported unprecedented military activity, with at least 130 Chinese military aircraft and more than 50 warships detected near the island, the highest number observed in a single day since mid-October 2024. The exercises included a barrage of missile launches, with Taiwanese authorities detecting the launch of 27 missiles that landed in the waters north of the island, creating a massive boom and plumes of white smoke clearly visible to residents and tourists.
In response, the Chinese military issued a statement confirming that the ground forces of the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command had conducted precise long-range drills and achieved "desired results," noting that these moves were part of a strategy to deter and protect national sovereignty.
Taiwan: The blockade did not happen
Despite the massive troop buildup, the Taiwanese side downplayed the effectiveness of the Chinese actions. Hsieh Jie-ching, an intelligence official at Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, stated that Beijing's intention to impose a naval and air blockade "did not materialize," citing coast guard reports confirming that movement continued uninterrupted.
For his part, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te strongly condemned these moves, describing them in a Facebook post as a "blatant provocation of regional security," stressing that China is ignoring the international community's aspirations for peace and deliberately undermining stability through military intimidation.
Historical context and strategic importance
This event cannot be understood in isolation from the complex historical context of cross-strait relations. China considers Taiwan an integral part of its territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, while Taiwan enjoys a self-governing democracy and maintains extensive informal ties with the West. These maneuvers are of paramount importance given the strategic location of the Taiwan Strait, a vital waterway for global trade, through which a significant portion of the world's shipping containers and energy supplies pass.
Any military escalation in this region not only threatens regional security, but also carries serious global economic repercussions, especially with regard to semiconductor supply chains, in which Taiwan is a global leader in production.
International concern and calls for calm
The military escalation drew immediate international reactions, with the European Union, France, and Germany expressing their deep concern. EU foreign policy spokesperson Anita Heiber stated that "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance to global security and prosperity," urging Beijing to exercise restraint. The German Foreign Ministry and the French Ministry of Defense also warned that these maneuvers increase tensions and undermine the fragile stability in the region, calling on all parties to avoid any actions that could lead to open conflict.
