On Monday, the Chinese Communist Party announced the commencement of military exercises dubbed "Joint Sword-2024B" in the waters to the north, south, and east of Taiwan including the Taiwan Strait. This prompted immediate coverage by international media, as the drills not only include the Chinese army, navy, air, and rocket forces, but also encircle the island nation.
According to Japan’s NHK, this marks a return to large-scale military exercises in the region since the first Joint Sword drill in May. The New York Times headline said China’s military drills are viewed as a warning to Taiwan's leaders, especially in light of President Lai Ching-te's National Day speech last week, where he asserted that China "has no right to represent" Taiwan. Similarly, The Washington Post described the drills as a "stern warning" to Taiwan.
The Wall Street Journal’s article titled "China Launches Sea and Air Drills Around Taiwan" pointed out that just days prior, President Lai had reaffirmed Taiwan’s sovereignty and said that he would resist any annexation or encroachment to it.
BBC News is providing real-time updates on its homepage, and AFP quoted Taiwan’s Defense Ministry condemning China’s provocative actions. The ministry said appropriate military forces had been dispatched, and an AFP journalist observed four fighter jets taking off from the Hsinchu Air Force Base.
Reuters quoted a senior Taiwan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressing the belief that China's joint operations exercises are aimed not only at blockading Taiwanese ports but also at preparing to repel foreign forces.