Taiwan and Japan voiced serious concern on Friday following reports that China had deployed a record number of military and coast guard vessels across East Asian waters this week, marking its largest maritime show of force to date.
Regional Alarm Over Expansive Chinese Operations
Reuters reported that more than 100 Chinese naval and coast guard ships had been sighted across East Asia, stretching from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea and the western Pacific. Intelligence sources said the deployment was broader in scale than previous Chinese operations.
Taiwan presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo told reporters in Taipei that the manoeuvres extended beyond the Taiwan Strait to areas near the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. “This indeed poses a threat and impact to the Indo-Pacific and the whole region,” Kuo said. “We also especially call on China to live up to its responsibilities as a major power and to exercise restraint in its actions.”
Kuo said President Lai Ching-te had ordered Taiwan’s security forces to maintain full situational awareness and provide timely updates. She added that Taiwan would continue working closely with “friendly partners” to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan Monitoring Situation “With Great Attention”
In Tokyo, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan was aware of the reports and was observing China’s military activities “with great attention.” He noted that Beijing had been expanding its operations in the waters surrounding Japan. “The government will continue to monitor developments around Japan with deep concern and will make every effort to ensure thorough information gathering and surveillance,” Koizumi said.
He declined to specify when the latest deployment took place but stressed that Japan would remain vigilant as regional tensions rise.
Beijing Defends Activities as Lawful
China’s military has not issued any official statement. However, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Chinese naval and coast guard operations in “relevant maritime areas” were fully in line with both domestic and international law. “There is no need for any party to overreact, overinterpret, or engage in baseless speculation,” Lin said in Beijing.
November and December are typically busy months for Chinese military exercises, though the People’s Liberation Army has not announced any official large-scale drills this year. The current deployment surpasses a similar naval mobilisation seen in December last year, which prompted Taiwan to raise its alert level.
Heightened Tensions Between China, Japan, and Taiwan
The escalation comes amid a diplomatic rift between China and Japan after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested last month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
Beijing has also reacted sharply to Taiwan President Lai’s announcement of an additional $40 billion in defence spending to strengthen deterrence against China. Beijing continues to claim the democratically governed island as its territory, despite Taiwan’s firm rejection of those claims.
(with inputs from Reuters)
