China Conducts Military Drills Around Taiwan, Calls President Lai a "Parasite"

Beijing/Taipei: China has launched large-scale joint military exercises involving its army, navy, and rocket forces around Taiwan, branding the drills a "stern warning" against separatist movements. The exercises come in response to recent remarks by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, who referred to Beijing as a "foreign hostile force."

The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese military stated that the drills focus on combat readiness patrols, seizing control of key areas, and executing maritime and land strikes. A propaganda video accompanying the announcement depicted President Lai as a cartoon bug held by chopsticks over a burning Taiwan, labeling him a "parasite."

Taiwan Responds with Naval Deployment

Taiwan swiftly condemned the military maneuvers, with the presidential office asserting that China is widely recognized as a "troublemaker" by the international community. Taiwan's government maintains that its sovereignty is a decision for the island's people alone.

According to Taiwanese security officials, over 10 Chinese military vessels approached Taiwan’s contiguous zone, prompting the deployment of Taiwanese warships. However, no live fire was detected, officials confirmed.

The island’s Defense Ministry reported that China's Shandong aircraft carrier group had entered its defense response area. In retaliation, Taiwan dispatched military aircraft, naval vessels, and activated land-based missile defense systems.

U.S. Criticism and Regional Tensions

The military drills followed the departure of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from the region after visits to Japan and the Philippines, where he criticized China's aggressive posturing. A senior Taiwanese security official suggested that Beijing sought to avoid direct confrontation with Washington ahead of U.S.-China trade discussions and instead used Taiwan as a pretext for its military escalation.

The American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy, condemned China's actions, stating, "China has once again demonstrated its irresponsibility, putting regional security and stability at risk."

Propaganda and Psychological Warfare

China’s military intensified its psychological warfare by releasing a series of propaganda videos showing its warships and fighter jets encircling Taiwan. One video, titled "Closing In," depicted a simulated blockade of the island, while another, "Shell," portrayed President Lai as a parasite infecting Taiwan.

Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo denounced these portrayals as provocative and unhelpful to regional stability. He further criticized the Chinese military, suggesting that it should focus on internal issues such as corruption rather than disrupting peace in the Taiwan Strait.

China’s military has undergone a sweeping anti-corruption purge, with former Defense Minister Li Shangfu ousted in October 2024. A Taiwanese security official suggested that Beijing is keeping its military preoccupied with frequent exercises to suppress discussions about the corruption crackdown.

Routine Militarization of the Taiwan Strait

China's coast guard also participated in the exercises, simulating "inspection and capture operations" against vessels in what it described as an assertion of its "legitimate jurisdiction" over Taiwan.

The state-run Global Times reported that the drills had not been assigned a specific code name, signaling that Chinese military operations around Taiwan are becoming "normalized." Citing a defense expert, the publication claimed that "the PLA has significantly enhanced its combat readiness through repeated exercises in the Taiwan Strait."

China has intensified its military pressure on Taiwan since then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in 2022, staging multiple rounds of war games to assert its claims over the island.

As tensions escalate, Taiwan continues to bolster its defenses while maintaining diplomatic efforts to counter Beijing’s growing military threats.