US: China’s Drills in Taiwan Strait Threaten Regional Security

The United States stated that China's military activities near Taiwan "escalate tensions" and "jeopardize regional security."

The United States warned on Tuesday that China's military exercises in the Taiwan Strait are endangering regional security, as Beijing announced new drills in the politically sensitive waters.

In a statement, the US State Department condemned China’s "aggressive" military actions and rhetoric toward Taiwan, stating that they "escalate tensions" and threaten both regional security and global stability.

China’s Military Drills in the Taiwan Strait

China's military launched a second consecutive day of large-scale exercises around Taiwan on Wednesday, intensifying tensions in the region.

Codenamed Strait Thunder-2025A, the drills are taking place in the central and southern Taiwan Strait, a critical global shipping route. According to Beijing, the exercises focus on blockade operations and precision strikes on key infrastructure.

On Wednesday, China's military conducted long-range live-fire drills and simulated attacks on Taiwan’s ports and energy sites, as reported by multiple news sources. A senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters that over 10 Chinese warships had entered Taiwan’s "response zone" by Wednesday morning.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that, in the past 24 hours, it had tracked 76 Chinese military aircraft and 15 warships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, which participated in simulated strikes on both maritime and ground targets. The H-6 strategic bomber, some models of which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, was also spotted over the South China Sea.

These drills come just two weeks after China carried out another large-scale military exercise in mid-March, involving a significant number of drones and naval vessels near Taiwan.