Chieh Chung
Since February of this year, the activities of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan appear to have intensified.
First, from February 1 to March 31, the PLA conducted up to eight “joint combat readiness patrols.”
On April 1 and 2, the PLA conducted military exercises around Taiwan for two consecutive days. The exercise on April 1 was not specifically named, while the exercise on April 2 was designated the codename “Strait Thunder-2025A.” The latter name raises suspicions as to whether this represents another PLA military exercise aimed at undermining Taiwan’s jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, in addition to the “Joint Sword” exercises.
Overview of PLA Exercises in Early April
On April 1 at 7:46 a.m., the PLA Eastern Theater Command suddenly announced the organization of joint exercises involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force around Taiwan.
According to statistics from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), as of April 2 at 6:00 a.m., the PLA had dispatched military aircraft on a total of 76 sorties into the airspace surrounding Taiwan, with 37 of these entering Taiwan’s “response area.” The surface forces deployed included 15 naval vessels and four China Coast Guard ships, of which at least 13 naval vessels and two coast guard ships entered Taiwan’s “response area” and advanced toward the 24-nautical-mile adjacent zone. Additionally, a PLA Navy (PLAN) carrier battle group centered around the Shandong aircraft carrier maneuvered to a tactical position 440 kilometers south of Japan’s Yonaguni Island to conduct relevant exercises.
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