China has allegedly deployed four warships at four different locations around Taiwan to prevent the United States from having any opportunity to dispatch forces in the event of a Chinese attack, according to a Japanese media outlet, reported Taiwan News.
The Yomiuri Shimbun quoted multiple government sources saying that China strongly objected to the visit by former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022. China is conducting large-scale military exercises around the country. Four of the People's Liberation Army Navy warships have deployed in the waters surrounding Taiwan's air defense to stand guard at all times.
The patrolled areas include the perimeters around Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture, one between Yongaguni Island and the Philippines, and one each in the waters southwest and north of Taiwan. Additionally, one is stationed to the northwest of the Diaoyutai Islands permanently.
Newsweek reported that on Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said that the People's Liberations Army's 33 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone, of which 13 aircraft crossed the median line.
On January 24, the USS John Finn transited through the Taiwan Strait, which the U.S. Navy described as its "commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations."
What Exactly Does It Mean?
The positioning of these warships carry significant implications regarding the security of Taiwan and surrounding countries.
Yoji Koda, a former commander of the Self-Defense Fleet, emphasized the need for Japan to remain vigilant, stating, "If Japan is left with an opening, there is a strong possibility that China will use force to intervene in the Senkaku Islands in the future. Japan must be fully prepared."
The situation is exceptionally worrisome around the Senkaku Islands, and are enclosed on three sides by Chinese warships. China asserts its territorial claims over these islands, viewing them as an integral part of Taiwan.
Newsweek said experts have raised the possibility that any Chinese military action against Taiwan could lead to an incident involving the Senkaku Islands, further complicating the already tense situation in the region.
In August 2022, China organized a crucial military exercise, launching ballistic missiles in all directions around Taiwan. Missiles landed near the Senkaku Islands and within Japan's exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni Island. These actions have only perpetuated the heightened concerns surrounding China's military presence and intentions in the East China Sea.
Admiral John C. Aquilino expressed agitation about China's coercive pressure campaign against Taiwan, especially in wake of recent elections, while speaking at the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, on January 26.
"The coercive pressure campaign against Taiwan continues, and we're watching it in the wake of the elections. I'm not sure what they're going to do, but I expect some demonstration of force against Taiwan in the near term," Aquilino said.
The situation grows more intense with reported incursions of balloons crossing into Taiwan's air space. According to Newsweek, nearly half of these balloons have violated Taiwan's territorial airspace, with some flying over the island.
