Overview
- The PLA says the exercise spans air and sea around Taiwan to test combat readiness, gain comprehensive superiority, and rehearse blockades at key ports and areas.
- Live-fire is scheduled Tuesday in five designated zones, with sea and airspace closures from 08:30 local time for ten hours and warnings for civilian ships and aircraft to avoid the areas.
- Taiwan condemns the operation as undermining regional security and international order, stating its forces are fully informed and prepared.
- Chinese messaging includes a stated aim to deter foreign military intervention, with reporting noting an explicit signal to Japan as a first public emphasis of this kind.
- The drills follow the announcement of about $11.1 billion in U.S. arms for Taiwan, marking the first major PLA exercise near the island since April and the sixth since 2022.