Overview
- Australia confirmed a four-ship Chinese task group in the Philippine Sea and dispatched a P-8 patrol aircraft to track it, with new commercial imagery identifying the CNS Hainan, CNS Yan’an and CNS Luomahu and showing apparent underway replenishment.
- Regional intelligence reported more than 100 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels operating since mid-November, with over 90 still at sea on Thursday across the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea and into the Pacific.
- Taiwan’s intelligence chief said four PLA naval fleets are currently in the West Pacific and warned it is not unlikely routine late-year drills could be combined into a larger exercise targeting Taiwan.
- Taiwan’s presidential office called the activity a regional threat spanning waters from the Yellow Sea to the western Pacific and said Taipei is maintaining full situational awareness and coordination with partners, as Japan pledged close monitoring.
- Chinese officials said high-seas training complies with international law and is not directed at any specific country, while separate PLAN groups made verified stopovers in Singapore and Oman that underscore extended operations and logistics.