On April 1, 2025, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted further military maneuvers around Taiwan.. These maneuvers have taken place in Taiwan's alleged consequence zone. Song Zhongping, a military analyst from the mainland, stated that the usage in the aircraft carrier Shandong maneuvers was intended to show that there is no Taiwan's "answer zone" of response. "Taiwan is part of China, there is no specified zone," he added, pointing out that PLA responded with facts alternatively than words. Exercises held under the command of the east Theatre Command of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) include actions of land troops, navy, air force and rockets.
Manoeuvres without code name – a fresh approach to regular exercises
As prof. Zhang Chi of the University of Defence (PLA National Defence University) noted in an interview with CCTV, the current exercises were not covered by the code name as was the case in erstwhile years. ‘This indicates that specified exercises have already become a fresh standard. For PLA and east Theatre Command, specified operations are now routine," he stressed.
Since William Lai Ching-te, leader of Taiwan, took over in May 2024, China has importantly increased military activity around the island. 2 major military operations were carried out last year, named Joint Sword-2024A and Joint Sword-2024B. Recently, PLA carried out further exercises, shortly after Lai referred to China as a "foreign enemy", in mention to the expanding tensions between the 2 sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan responds to threats – fresh safeguards
In consequence to the “growing military threat from China”, the Taiwanese administration announced in March 2025 17 fresh measures to strengthen the island's defence. These included, among another things, the restoration of the military judiciary system, the strengthening of disclosure mechanisms for authoritative visits to the continent and the tightening of settlement criteria for people from China, Hong Kong and Macau.
PLA in conflict readiness – Beijing continues
A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defence, Wu Qian, assured that PLA would keep full combat readiness and is ready to fight at any time. “We will definitely suppress all plans for the separatist “independence of Taiwan”, he declared. PLA is inactive on full alert, which reinforced the belief that Beijing's actions towards Taiwan are part of a long-term strategy.
Image Campaign
As part of an extended propaganda campaign, Chinese CCTV broadcast information on PLA maneuvers. In 1 of the material maneuvers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is presented as "fair", comparing them to the fictional actions of the character – King of Monkeys (Sun Wukong) from the classical Chinese fresh "Wandering West". In this narrative, the Monkey King uses his "powerful cane" to "peat evil" (i.e. defeat enemies) and "pull heaven" to symbolize PLA's actions towards Taiwanese separatists and another forces seen as "evil".
China's fresh strategy?
The Chinese People's Liberation Army is increasingly conducting maneuvers around Taiwan, treating them as an component of a "new norm" in the region. The increase in exercises, the change of approach to military operations is China's clear message that they will not tolerate separatist activities, and any effort at external interference will face Beijing's countermeasure.
According to the typical of PLA, Colonel Shi Yi, the current maneuvers will run in different directions, with emphasis on combat readiness in naval and air combat, military patrols, attacks on marine and land targets, and blockades of key marine areas and routes.
An crucial fact is that Chinese maneuvers began just moments after U.S. Secretary of defence Hegseth completed his first visit to this function in Asia. Beijing sent Washington a clear signal. And what is important: the American side reacted to Chinese maneuvers by calling for peace.
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
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