Taiwan Reports Chinese Vessels and Aircraft Crossing Midline During Simulated Attack Amid Pelosi Visit
Taiwan today condemned Chinese military ships and aircraft for crossing the midline of the Formosa Strait as part of a drill described by Beijing as a simulation of a possible attack. The move followed the visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense posted a message on its official social media channel stating that the objective of the attack simulation appeared to target a high-value asset, though specifics were not disclosed by the authorities.
In response, Taipei issued warnings and intensified air and sea patrols. Authorities described the crossing of the midline as a provocative act by a handful of Chinese ships and aircraft, and they activated land-based missile defenses in a show of readiness that echoed actions taken the previous day. The midline in question has acted as an unofficial boundary that has functioned as a tacit line of control between the two sides for decades, even though it is not a formal treaty border.
The People’s Liberation Army, referred to in Chinese as the PLA, is carrying out a series of drills that began on Thursday and are scheduled to continue through Sunday. The exercises include live-fire elements and the launch of long-range missiles as a response to Pelosi’s visit. The operations are taking place at six designated zones around Taiwan, with one range located roughly 20 kilometers from the coast near Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s southern port city, highlighting the breadth of the staging areas involved.
Observers note that these exercises are more expansive than past similar drills. Officials and defense analysts quote local media to describe the current activities as covering a larger geographic area, involving more military units, and being highly operationally intense. Taiwan has labeled China’s military activity in the surrounding waters and airspace a blockade in practice, while President Tsai Ing-wen has described the intensification of the threat as irresponsible, stressing that peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait remains the preferred path for cross-strait relations.
China has framed Pelosi’s visit as a challenge to its sovereignty over Taiwan, arguing that the island belongs to China and characterizing the island as a province that is rebellious after the Kuomintang retreated to the mainland in 1949 following the civil war. Beijing has reiterated its stance that reunification with Taiwan is a fundamental national goal, and the current maneuvers are portrayed as measures to defend that sovereignty and to deter foreign interference. Analysts say the situation underscores the ongoing tensions in the region and the sensitivity of U.S. involvement in Taiwanese affairs, with security calculations on both sides likely to influence future steps. This assessment is echoed by regional observers who emphasize the importance of careful, calibrated responses to avoid miscalculation in a highly unstable environment. The reporting follows continued exchanges among government officials and defense ministries on both sides, with Taipei signaling a commitment to protect its democratic system and security interests while seeking stability in cross-strait relations. [Cited context: Reuters news agency coverage and local defense briefings, attributed to contemporaneous reporting and official statements for background]