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Taiwan on alert as China deploys 90 ships in military exercise

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Taiwan is reporting one of the largest Chinese naval deployments near its waters in recent months, with nearly 90 vessels and reserved airspace zones near the island sparking fresh concerns about regional security and military posturing. The seven airspace zones are near its Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, which Taiwan said could signal upcoming military exercises.

These zones will remain active until Wednesday, Dec. 11, though China has not announced specific tests or drills.

Taiwan described these moves as “unilateral provocations” intended to intimidate the region. Officials said Chinese aircraft and balloons have also been spotted over the Taiwan Strait. In response, Taiwan’s military initiated combat readiness exercises and is closely monitoring the situation.

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Chinese state media suggest the maneuvers follow Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent trip to Guam and Hawaii. Beijing opposes any official interactions between Taiwan and the United States, calling such engagements an infringement on its sovereignty.

China continues to view Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to assert control. Taipei accuses Beijing of using “grey-zone tactics,” such as frequent military patrols, to pressure the island without escalating to direct conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to sailors aboard the USS George Washington in Japan on Monday, Dec. 9, the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III addresses the crew aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during an all hands call on the flight deck call on while in-port Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Dec. 9, 2024. George Washington is 7th Fleet’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside Allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson)
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Austin downplayed the possibility of an imminent attack on Taiwan but emphasized China’s intent and growing capability to challenge international norms.

“There’s a lot of speculation about when Mr. Xi will decide to do one thing or another,” Austin said. ” would just say from my vantage point at this point in time, I don’t think, you know, an attack is either imminent or unavoidable. So, again, our goal is to make sure that we continue to work with like-minded partners and allies to ensure that we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. And we’ve been pretty successful at that thus far.”

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[ryan robertson]

TAIWAN SAYS CHINA JUST SENT ONE OF THE LARGEST DEPLOYMENTS OF NAVAL AND COAST GUARD SHIPS NEAR ITS WATERS IN RECENT MONTHS. AND GIVEN HOW MUCH ACTIVITY WE’VE SEEN IN THE AREA THIS YEAR–THAT’S SAYING SOMETHING.
NEARLY 90 NAVAL VESSELS WERE SPOTTED NEAR THE ISLAND. THE SHIPS ARE REPORTEDLY THERE TO RESERVE AIRSPACE NEAR THE ISLAND FOR UPCOMING WAR-GAMES, BUT THE MOVEMENTS ARE ALSO SPARKING FRESH CONCERNS ABOUT REGIONAL SECURITY AND MILITARY POSTURING.

IN TANDEM WITH THE NAVAL DEPLOYMENT — BEIJING RESERVED SEVEN AIRSPACE ZONES NEAR ITS FUJIAN AND ZHEJIANG PROVINCES, THE ZONES WILL REMAIN ACTIVE FOR A FEW DAYSTHOUGH CHINA HAS NOT ANNOUNCED SPECIFIC TESTS OR DRILLS.

TAIWAN CALLS THESE MOVES “UNILATERAL PROVOCATIONS” MEANT TO INTIMIDATE THE REGION. CHINESE AIRCRAFT AND BALLOONS WERESPOTTED OVER THE TAIWAN STRAIT. TAIWAN’S MILITARY INITIATED COMBAT READINESS EXERCISES AND IS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY.

CHINESE STATE MEDIA SUGGEST THE MANEUVERS FOLLOW THE TAIWANESE PRESIDENT’S TRIP TO GUAM AND HAWAII. BEIJING OPPOSES ANY OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE UNITED STATES, CALLING SUCH INTERACTIONS AN INFRINGEMENT ON ITS SOVEREIGNTY.

CHINA SEESTAIWAN AS A BREAKAWAY PROVINCE AND, CHINA’S XI XINPING INSTRUCTED HIS MILITARY TO BE READY TO TAKE TAIWAN BY 2027.
TAIPEI ACCUSES BEIJING OF USING “GREY-ZONE TACTICS,” LIKE FREQUENT MILITARY PATROLS, TO PRESSURE THE ISLAND WITHOUT ESCALATING TO DIRECT CONFLICT.

MEANWHILE U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SPOKE TO SAILORS ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON IN JAPAN ON MONDAY — THE NAVY’S ONLY FORWARD-DEPLOYED AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

AUSTIN DOWNPLAYED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN IMMINENT ATTACK ON TAIWAN BUT EMPHASIZED CHINA IS THE ONLY NATION WITH BOTH THE INTENT AND THE CAPABILITY TO CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL RULES.

LLOYD AUSTIN
U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY
“There’s a lot of speculation about when Mr. Xi will decide to do one thing or another. I would just say from my vantage point at this point in time, I don’t think, you know, an attack is either imminent or unavoidable. So, again, our goal is to make sure that we continue to work with like-minded partners and allies to ensure that we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. And we’ve been pretty successful at that thus far.”

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