China carries out fresh rehearsals in Taiwan Strait after two days of operations. The drills, Strait Thunder-2025A, are being conducted in the middle and southern parts of the crucial international sea lane.
Beijingʼs latest military maneuvers have drawn a sharp retort from Washington, labeling the actions “intimidation.” The holiday weekend military workouts follow Taiwan President Lai Ching-te referring to the Communist-state as a “foreign hostile force,” heightening cross-strait tensions.
The manoeuvres aim to be able to evaluate the abilities of troops to undertake large-scale operations such as blockades and attacks as well as precision strikes on important targets said Senior Colonel Shi Yi a spokesperson for China’s Eastern Theatre Command. The move is also part of broader Beijing pressure on Taipei and claim over sovereignty. 
Taiwan’s Defence ministry has said THEY did these exercises, but will say no more. In reaction, the US State Department stated that it’s actions in the military could increase the risk of armed conflict within the region as well as the preclude the stability in the world. Thereby, Taiwan has conducted an “Rapid Response Exercise “to counter any looming threats, writes Pettus.
With flagging military war threatening to raise the stakes, international analysts caution that ongoing Chinese aggression may heighten instability in the Indo-Pacific with potential knockabytes for global security and commerce.
