Overview

• Taiwan has conducted a two-day military exercise involving sea, land and air defenses to prepare for potential surprise attacks by China.
• China's recent actions, including daily warship and warplane activities around Taiwan, have been criticized as threatening to spark a conflict that could have devastating regional effects.
• Taiwan's defense ministry reported that seven Chinese warplanes and four naval vessels were detected around the island in a 24-hour period.
• China's aviation authority announced changes to a southbound route for passenger flights that is expected to bring planes closer to Taiwan’s shores, sparking protests from Taiwan's government.
• The military drills come less than three weeks after voters elected Lai Ching-te as their next president, giving a third straight four-year term to the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.