Taiwan says it is tracking ‘upward trend’ in Chinese naval movements

TAIPEI: Taiwan is tracking an “upward trend” in Chinese naval movements during the peak military exercise season, including joint drills with Russia, and will be analysing any new tactics, a senior Taiwanese security official said on Monday.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, closely monitors daily Chinese military activities around the island and says the warning time for any attack is shortening. Taiwan strongly objects to China’s claim on the island and says only its people can decide their future.

Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen told reporters in parliament that the July to September period is the peak season for Chinese drills and the government is comparing past missions to see what “new patterns” emerge.

There are currently four Chinese naval formations operating in the Western Pacific, he added.

“Overall, during this seasonal peak for exercises, the mobilisation of Chinese Communist naval and maritime forces has indeed shown an upward trend,” Tsai said.

China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Sunday, China’s defence ministry and Russian state media said the Chinese and Russian navies would hold joint exercises in the waters and airspace off the Chinese city of Qingdao this week.

Tsai said the government was aware last week of those drills and had held internal briefings in advance.

China and Russia, with their joint operations, are seeking to counter the “denial and defence strategy” constructed by the US and its allies in the First Island Chain, he added.

The First Island Chain refers to an area stretching from Japan down to Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo.

As of Friday, Taiwan was tracking a record of more than 110 Chinese military and Coast Guard ships up and down the First Island Chain, Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, posted on X late on Saturday.

In 2023, Taiwan spotted two Russian warships off its east coast.