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The 2022 Chinese military exercises around Taiwan (simplified Chinese: 2022年环台军事演练; traditional Chinese: 2022年環台軍事演練) were a series of military exercises by the People's Republic of China (PRC) that encircled Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC). They initially lasted from 4–7 August 2022 and involved live-fire drills, air sorties, naval deployments, and ballistic missile launches by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The exercises started in response to US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.[1][2][3]

The exercises, which drew criticism from the G7 nations, were a show of force intended to deter what the PRC perceives as US involvement in so-called “internal Chinese affairs” and to demonstrate Chinese military power in the region for both international and domestic audiences.[4][3][5] The live-fire drills were unprecedented in recent history[6] and took place in six zones that surrounded the island's busiest international waterways and aviation routes.[7][8] On 8 August, China's military announced new military exercises around Taiwan.[9] China announced an end to the exercises on 10 August, but also stated that regular "patrols" would be launched in the Taiwan Strait.[10][11]

Background[]

Incursions into Taiwan ADIZ[]

Since 2020, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has published routine reports on incursions of its Air Defense Identification Zone by Chinese forces, which are considered by analysts as part of a salami-slicing/swarming strategy and show of force in the region.[12][13][14] PLA aircraft entered on nearly 250 days in the 12 months between September 2020 and 2021, and the PRC's 2021 National Day celebrations saw a record number of 148 aircraft inside Taiwan's ADIZ over the course of four days.[15][16] Most of these incursions, some of which included nuclear-capable bombers, took place in the southwestern part of the ADIZ following major events related to Taiwan's international space.[15][17] In a biennial report released in November 2021, the ROC Ministry of Defense warned that the PRC had obtained the capacity to surround and blockade the island's harbours, airports, and outbound flight routes.[18]

Escalation of tensions[]

On 9 January 2021, the US State Department under Mike Pompeo announced that it was Lifting Self-Imposed Restrictions on the U.S.-Taiwan Relationship, drawing protest from the PRC.

On 10 June 2022, PRC Defense Minister Wei Fenghe warned that "if anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war", adding that it "would have no choice but to fight ... and crush any attempt of Taiwan independence" to safeguard "national sovereignty and territorial integrity." U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin responded by condemning China's "provocative, destabilising" military activity near Taiwan.[19][20]

The week before Nancy Pelosi's visit,[21] the PRC government warned the US to abide by the One China principle, that some US politicians were "play[ing] with fire", and that "those who play with fire will perish by it".[22][23]

Military exercises[]

Tsai Presents Pelosi with Order of Propitious Clouds by Lin 01

ROC president Tsai Ing-wen hosting US Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her entourage.

Tsai Ing-wen delivers remarks on the live-fire military exercises China conducting in areas around Taiwan.

On 2 August, in response to Pelosi's visit, the People's Republic of China announced four days of military live-fire drills,[6] in six zones that encircle the island on the busiest international waterways and aviation routes.[24] In response to the announcement, ROC officials complained that the PLA's live-fire drills were an invasion of Taiwan's territorial space and a direct challenge to free air and sea navigation.[25] On 4 August, Taiwanese troops fired flares to drive away drones that flew above the Kinmen Islands.[26] In a show of strength, the PRC deployed both a carrier group, as well as at least one nuclear submarine to the Taiwan Strait, with both the carrier group as well as the nuclear submarine participating in the live-fire drills.[27] The PRC announced additional live-fire drills in both the Yellow and Bohai sea, and China's Maritime Safety Administration announced five restricted areas in the Yellow Sea where exercises were to happen from 5 August to 15 August, as well as four additional zones in the Bohai Sea where a month of PRC military operations were to happen starting from 8 August.[28]

China fired 11 missiles into waters surrounding Taiwan during the live fire drills, at least several of which were Dongfeng ballistic missiles, double the number fired in July 1995, during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis.[29] Several missiles reportedly flew over Taiwan.[30][26] Japan reported that five of the missiles landed in its exclusive economic zone, southwest of the Yaeyama Islands. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, this is the first time ballistic missiles launched by China had landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.[31]

While the PLA live-fire exercises were ongoing on 4 August, the US carrier strike group of the USS Ronald Reagan was conducting military operations in the Philippine Sea, including waters to the southeast of Taiwan.[32] However, the US also cancelled the planned test launch of a Minuteman III missile, which was scheduled to happen during the same week the crisis started, in order to avoid escalating tensions with China further.[33]

In response to the PRC drills, on 7 August, the ROC government announced that it would be conducting live-fire artillery exercises in Pingtung County which served to act as both retaliation to the recent PRC live-fire exercises around Taiwan and test combat readiness.[34] At first, the PRC seemed to wrap up its military drills according to its schedule published on 4 August.[35] During drills held in Lienchiang County flares fired by Taiwan's army started a fire.[36] On Monday, China's Eastern Theatre Command announced it would continue its drills, which includes anti-submarine attacks and sea raid operations, without announcing an ending date.[9] On 10 August, Eastern Theatre Command announced an end to the military exercises after it had "successfully completed various tasks and effectively tested the integrated combat capabilities of the troops". However, Eastern Theatre Command also announced it would carry out regular "patrols in the direction of the Taiwan Strait."[10][11]

Reactions[]

Japan[]

During the PLA's live-fire drills, Japanese defense minister Nobuo Kishi lodged a protest with Beijing, saying that some missiles fired by China landed in its EEZ, specifying that it was "the first time that a ballistic missile belonging to the Chinese military had landed within (Japan's) waters" and that the incident was "a grave issue that concerns our country’s national security and the safety of the people".[37][38][39]

In addition, Japan's foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi called for an "immediate stop" to China's military exercises, stating that China's actions have a "serious impact on the peace and stability of the region and the international community".[39]

North Korea[]

State news agency KCNA reported that a DPRK foreign ministry spokesman supported the PRC's "righteous stand" and that North Koreans "denounce any external force's intervention in Taiwan".[40]

Russia[]

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared that China has the sovereign right to launch military drills around Taiwan and that Nancy Pelosi's visit provoked the tensions.[41]

Taiwan[]

Taiwanese officials accused the PLA of engaging in information warfare with claims of military exercises close to Penghu.[42]

United States[]

On 5 August 2022, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Philippines and said that the US would seek to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait in order to keep the region safe and the international waterway open.[43] He said:

These provocative actions are a significant escalation. We’ve seen how Beijing has attempted to change the status quo on Taiwan for some time – for example, more than doubling the number of aircraft flown over the centerline that separates China and Taiwan over the past two years; pursuing economic coercion, political interference, cyber-attacks against Taiwan. Now they’ve taken dangerous acts to a new level.

...

The fact is the Speaker's visit was peaceful. There is no justification for this extreme, disproportionate, and escalatory military response. Let me say again that nothing has changed about our “one China” policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Communiques, and the Six Assurances.  We don’t want unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.  We do not support Taiwan independence.  We expect cross-strait differences to be resolved peacefully, not coercively or by force.[44][45]

Together with Australia and Japan, the US signed a joint statement on 6 August that condemned the firing of missiles into Japanese exclusive economic zones and accused China of "raising tension and destabilizing the region."[46] During a meeting with Blinken on 6 August, Philippine foreign affairs secretary Enrique Manalo said that joint US-Philippine patrols in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine government's designation for portions of the South China Sea, could take place on the basis of the Mutual Defense Treaty.[47][48]

See also[]

References[]

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  2. Tian, Yew Lun (2022-08-02). "China to launch 'targeted military operations' due to Pelosi visit" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/china-launch-targeted-military-operations-due-pelosi-visit-2022-08-02/. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Qin, Amy; Mozur, Paul (2 August 2022). "After Pelosi's arrival, China announced military drills in nearby waters.". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/world/asia/china-taiwan-pelosi.html. 
  4. Wang, Vivian (6 August 2022). "Chinese Military Drills Aim to Awe, Both Abroad and at Home". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/06/world/asia/china-exercises-taiwan.html. 
  5. Lee, Yimou; Brunnstrom, David (7 August 2022). "Chinese and Taiwanese warships shadow each other as drills due to end". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/taiwan-says-chinese-planes-ships-carry-out-attack-simulation-exercise-2022-08-06/. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Zheng, Sarah (2022-08-02). "China Plans Four Days of Military Drills in Areas Encircling Taiwan". https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-02/china-announces-military-drills-encircling-taiwan-from-aug-4-7-l6cc5ljn. 
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  8. Davidson, Helen; Ni, Vincent (2022-08-03). "China to begin series of unprecedented live-fire drills off Taiwan coast" (in en). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/03/china-to-begin-series-unprecedented-live-fire-drills-off-coast-of-taiwan. 
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  13. Chen, Kelvin (2021-12-03). "Military expert says US troops in Taiwan part of Washington's salami-slicing strategy". https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4364227. 
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