China Escalates Military Maneuvers Near Taiwan After VP’s US Stops

Beijing says its military drills around Taiwan serve as ‘stern warning’ to those advocating for independence

Aircraft of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conduct joint combat training exercises around Taiwan on Aug. 7, 2022. Li Bingyu/Xinhua via AP

A total of 42 Chinese warplanes and eight naval vessels were spotted around Taiwan on Aug. 19, a day after Taiwanese Vice President William Lai Ching-te returned from a trip that included stopovers in the United States.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry detected that 26 PLA (People’s Liberation Army) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, prompting Taiwan’s military to deploy aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems in response.