China Stages Unannounced Pacific Drills Around Taiwan
China staged major unannounced military maneuvers in early November across the western Pacific and near Taiwan that Taipei officials called "silent intimidation" ahead of key international gatherings, Reuters reported. According to a senior Taiwan security official who spoke on condition of anonymity to Reuters, China's military and coast guard massed more than 100 vessels at the peak of the operation. The official told Reuters the drills included simulated attacks on other militaries and cities, including Taiwan's, and exceeded the scale of "Justice Mission 2025" held nearly a year ago.
Naval Scale and ICBM Launch
During the recent maneuvers, a Chinese submarine fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into mainland China from the Yellow Sea, the senior Taiwan official told Reuters. "It is a silent exercise -- and in effect, silent intimidation," the official said, comparing it to "a robber hiding a gun in the pocket of a coat" to frighten a bank teller without setting off an alarm. China's defence ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Beijing has previously said its aircraft carrier was conducting "routine" exercises not directed at any country. Taiwan detected 11 Chinese aircraft sorties and 10 PLA Navy ships in the 24 hours to November 7, 2026, with nine sorties crossing the median line, according to Geopolitiki. China's Justice Mission 2025 exercise in late December 2025 notably did not feature any People's Liberation Army Navy aircraft carriers, according to Institute for the Study of War.
Taiwan's defence ministry pointed Reuters to remarks by Defence Minister Wellington Koo this week stating China was holding "area denial" drills involving an aircraft carrier and other naval formations. Reuters reported that the exercises brought together coordinated naval forces from China's eastern, northern, and southern theatre commands, which the Taiwan official said suggested rehearsals for a Taiwan blockade and broader far-seas operations. By Friday, the deployment had shrunk to around 70 vessels operating within the first island chain, according to two Taiwan security officials cited by Reuters. Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu posted on X late Thursday that the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Theater Command groups and the Liaoning carrier strike group remained in waters east of the Philippines alongside high Chinese air force activity near Taiwan, Reuters reported. On November 12, 2026, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 29 Chinese military aircraft and drones, with 22 crossing the median line, according to Geopolitiki. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 49 PLA air sorties around Taiwan on November 2, 2026, according to Institute for the Study of War. During Justice Mission 2025 in December 2025, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported 89 aircraft sorties on the first day, according to Janes.
Diplomacy Ahead of Shenzhen APEC Summit
The maneuvers come ahead of next week's APEC leaders' summit in Shenzhen, which Taiwan also attends and where US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are slated to hold their third meeting this year, Reuters noted. On Thursday, Xi delivered a policy speech on Taiwan urging peaceful "reunification" without mentioning the use of force, Reuters reported. A foreign intelligence source told Reuters that holding "silent drills without a name" appeared deliberate to apply military pressure while avoiding diplomatic backlash, adding that China normally conducts drills late in the year when weather is calmer. Meanwhile, China's state-backed Global Times warned on Friday that Taiwan's ruling party would face a "harsh reckoning" if it continues seeking independence through external forces or military means, according to Reuters.