
The Taiwan Strait is once again in turmoil, and tensions between China and Taiwan are reaching a critical level. Earlier this week, Beijing stepped up its show of military force by deploying fighter jets and warships all around the island, in what is described as a direct warning to Taiwanese “separatists.” This renewed tension comes in a context where relations between Beijing and Taipei have continued to deteriorate since Lai Ching-te came to power in 2024, raising fears of an escalation with unpredictable consequences.

An alarmist Chinese show of force
China began this week with a series of unusually large-scale military maneuvers around Taiwan, deploying fighter jets, bombers and warships to encircle the island. According to the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, this operation constitutes a “serious warning” to Taiwanese independence forces. The latter asserts that “Taiwanese independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait are two things perfectly incompatible”. This show of force is accompanied by increasingly muscular rhetoric from Beijing, which aims to deter any attempt at official independence for the island.
The military exercises, dubbed “Joint Sword-2024B,” focus on combat readiness patrols, simulated port blockades, as well as assaults on maritime and land targets. China, which still considers Taiwan a rebel province to be reintegrated at all costs, has increased its military presence around the island in recent years. With these maneuvers, Beijing wishes to show its ability to encircle Taiwan and isolate the island in the event of conflict, a strategy which is a continuation of its policy of increased military pressure since 2021.
Taiwanese and international reactions to the threat
In response to this military offensive, Taiwan immediately reacted by placing its army on high alert. President Lai Ching-te has called an emergency security meeting, denouncing China's “irrational and provocative behavior”, which he called a deliberate violation of international law. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense assured that it had deployed adequate forces to respond to any eventuality, and reaffirmed its determination to protect “the freedom, democracy and sovereignty of Taiwan”. In this context, Taiwan also received new American military aid of more than half a billion dollars, to strengthen its defensive system.
The United States, for its part, strongly condemned these maneuvers, and describes them as “unjustified operations” likely to lead to an escalation of tensions. Washington, which officially recognizes Beijing since 1979, but also Taiwan's main arms supplier, sees this rise in tensions as a threat to regional stability. In the future, the prospects for open conflict remain uncertain, but this new episode illustrates how explosive the situation in the Taiwan Strait has become, as each strategic move risks precipitating a confrontation with global consequences.
This new show of force from China around Taiwan further complicates relations between the two territories. As Taiwan strengthens its alliances and defensive capabilities, Beijing is clearly showing its willingness to impose its views by force if necessary. The role of the United States, as a key supporter of Taiwan, will be crucial in the coming months, as the risk of military confrontation continues to grow in the region.
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