Overview
- China's Eastern Theater Command reported long-range live-fire in waters north of Taiwan and multi-domain drills that included anti-air and anti-submarine operations.
- Taiwan's defense ministry said it tracked 130 Chinese military aircraft over a 24-hour period through Tuesday morning, up from 89 on day one, along with multiple navy and coast guard vessels.
- Exercises featured simulated strikes on maritime and land targets and rehearsals to blockade key ports such as Keelung and Kaohsiung, with the Chinese Coast Guard conducting enforcement patrols near outlying islets.
- Taiwan activated a response center, placed forces on maximum alert, and warned of major travel disruption, with aviation authorities expecting more than 100,000 international passengers to be affected by cancellations and reroutes.
- China linked the drills to the recent $11.1 billion U.S. arms sale to Taiwan and earlier foreign statements, announcing sanctions on U.S. defense firms as U.S. President Donald Trump publicly downplayed the maneuvers.