China has conducted large-scale military drills near Taiwan without announcing them in advance, sparking concerns among Taiwanese officials and experts. The drills were detected by Taiwan’s defense ministry on Tuesday and lasted for four days.
According to Reuters, China’s military said nothing until Friday when it quoted Sun Tzu’s Art of War, a famous ancient Chinese text that emphasizes the importance of adaptability and surprise in warfare.
Taiwan had been on high alert since Monday as China conducted its “Joint Sword-2024B” war games in October, which were accompanied by a propaganda campaign against Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te. The current drills are seen as an attempt to normalise China’s military presence near the island and show its ability to control the First Island Chain.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said the naval deployment extended across the First Island Chain, which includes Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo. This control by China could prevent US forces from coming to Taiwan’s assistance in the event of conflict.
Experts say that China’s lack of transparency is a departure from its past practice of unleashing a massive propaganda push to coincide with war games around Taiwan. Analysts believe that Beijing’s activities are meant to create confusion and demonstrate its military muscle.
“This only underscores the lack of certainty of China’s intentions,” said Drew Thompson, a former US Department of Defense official. “What’s changed here is the scale of the exercise and lack of clarity from China about what was involved.”
The drills have raised concerns among Taiwanese officials and security experts, who fear that they could be a precursor to a larger attack on Taiwan.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-new-tactic-against-taiwan-drills-that-dare-not-speak-their-name-2024-12-13