China’s military has launched a new set of exercises in the Taiwan Strait, officially naming them “Strait Thunder-2025A.” The drills, which began on Tuesday, are being held in the middle and southern parts of the strait and continued through Wednesday morning, according to state media.
The Chinese military said the operations focus on tasks like identification, interception, warning, and precision strikes, aimed at testing its ability to control key zones and conduct joint blockade maneuvers.
A senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters that over 10 Chinese warships were spotted in Taiwan’s designated “response zone.” The Chinese coast guard also participated in what Taiwan described as “harassment drills.”
These exercises follow earlier war games conducted by China in 2024, known as “Joint Sword-2024A” and “Joint Sword-2024B.”
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has repeatedly condemned its president, Lai Ching-te, as a “separatist.” Lai, however, insists that only the Taiwanese people can determine their future and firmly rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.