China stages unannounced Pacific drills in ‘silent intimidation’ push: Taiwan officials

A giant screen shows a news report on China's "Justice Mission 2025" military drills around Taiwan, in Beijing on Dec. 30 last year. Taipei officials said China carried out a large, unannounced military exercise across the western Pacific and around Taiwan early this month. | REUTERS

Nov 13, 2026

TAIPEI – China carried out a large, unannounced military exercise across the western Pacific and around Taiwan in early November, in what officials in Taipei have described as a campaign of “silent intimidation” aimed at pressuring Taiwan and other governments before major international meetings.

A senior Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said China’s military and coast guard had at one point massed more than 100 vessels in the region early this month, conducting drills that included simulated attacks on other militaries and cities including Taiwan’s.

The naval deployment was larger than “Justice Mission 2025,“ China’s last formally named drills targeting Taiwan nearly a year ago and one of the largest Chinese naval deployments to date, the official said.

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