Chinese military to stage drills around Taiwan to warn 'external forces' after tensions with U.S. and Japan

The Chinese military said Monday said it was dispatching air, navy and rocket troops to conduct joint military drills around Taiwan, a move it called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces.

HONG KONG — China’s military on Monday dispatched air, navy and rocket troops to conduct joint military drills around the island of Taiwan, a move Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces.

Taiwan said it was placing its forces on alert and called the Chinese government “the biggest destroyer of peace.”

The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and a statement by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, saying its military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that the world’s second-biggest economy says must come under its rule. But the Chinese military did not mention the United States and Japan in its statement on Monday morning.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a post on X that rapid response exercises were underway, with forces on high alert to defend the island. In a separate statement, it said it had deployed appropriate forces in response, conducting combat readiness drills.

Smoke rises from a weapon on a ship after it was fired during drills east of Taiwan, in video released Monday by the Chinese military.Eastern Theatre Command / via Reuters“The Chinese Communist Party’s targeted military exercises further confirm its nature as an aggressor and the biggest destroyer of peace,” the ministry said.