TAIPEI, November 13, 2026 — China carried out a large, unannounced military exercise across the western Pacific and around Taiwan in early November, in what officials in Taipei have described as a campaign of “silent intimidation” aimed at pressuring Taiwan and other governments before major international meetings. A senior Taiwan security official said China’s military and coast guard massed more than 100 vessels in the region early this month, conducting drills that included simulated attacks on other militaries and cities including Taiwan’s.
Unannounced Drills and Silent Intimidation
The exercises unfolded without a formal name or public announcement from Beijing, a departure from the pattern of named drills such as “Justice Mission 2025” conducted nearly a year ago. According to the senior Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the naval deployment was larger than that previous exercise and represented one of the largest Chinese naval deployments to date. The drills involved coordinated naval forces from China’s eastern, northern, and southern theater commands, according to a foreign intelligence source cited by Reuters.
The official characterised the unannounced nature of the manoeuvres as deliberate. “It is a silent exercise — and in effect, silent intimidation,” the official said. “This is like a robber hiding a gun in the pocket of a coat — with the muzzle pointed at the bank teller. It scares the teller into handing over the money, while avoiding setting off the alarm and bringing in a large police response.” A foreign intelligence source said the “silent drills without a name” appeared designed to allow Beijing to apply military pressure while avoiding a diplomatic backlash.
During the drills, a Chinese submarine launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Yellow Sea into the Chinese mainland, the senior Taiwan security official said. China’s defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Taiwan’s defence ministry referred reporters to comments made by Minister Wellington Koo this week, saying China was carrying out “area denial” drills in the western Pacific involving an aircraft carrier and other naval formations. China has said the carrier is on “routine” exercises that are not directed at any country.
Historical Context and Escalating Pressure
The latest deployment occurs against a backdrop of steadily increasing military pressure over the past five years. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. The Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 after the Chinese Civil War, and the island has since developed into a multi-party democracy with a population of 23.9 million. Beijing has repeatedly offered a “one country, two systems” model of autonomy, a framework rejected by all major Taiwanese political parties.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council stated that neither the government nor Taiwan’s people could accept the “one country, two systems” model, which would ultimately mean submitting to the Communist Party’s rule. Council spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh told reporters that the wording on unification in Xi’s recent speech “isn’t much different from the past.” The council’s position reflects a long-standing consensus in Taipei that the island’s future must be determined by its own people.
Political Rhetoric and Diplomatic Timing
Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a major policy speech on Thursday urging peaceful “reunification” while making no mention of using force. “The tide of history cannot be stopped,” Xi said at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, marking the 160th birthday of revolutionary hero Sun Yat-sen. “The complete reunification of the motherland must be realised, and it will certainly be realised.” Xi said China adheres to “peaceful reunification and the policy of ‘one country, two systems’” and called on all Chinese, including those in Taiwan, to jointly oppose Taiwan independence “separatist” forces.
The speech came a week ahead of the APEC leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, where Xi is due to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the third time this year. Taiwan also attends APEC. A foreign intelligence source noted that the latter part of the year, when weather is typically calmer, is when China normally carries out drills. The timing of the unannounced exercises, immediately preceding a high-profile diplomatic gathering, aligns with the assessment of Taipei officials that the campaign aims to pressure Taiwan and other governments before major international meetings.
Security Perceptions and Daily Life
For residents, the “silent intimidation” campaign manifests as a persistent, low-level disruption rather than acute crisis. Taiwan’s defence ministry reported detecting 29 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, carrying out a “joint combat readiness patrol” around Taiwan in conjunction with Chinese warships starting on Thursday. Such patrols have become a near-daily occurrence, normalising the presence of People’s Liberation Army assets in the island’s air defence identification zone.
The scale of the November deployment — more than 100 vessels massed at one point — signals an operational capacity that extends beyond the Taiwan Strait into the broader Pacific. The involvement of coast guard vessels alongside naval forces blurs the line between law enforcement and military action, a tactic observed in other disputed waters in the region. For an island dependent on maritime trade and energy imports, the demonstrated ability to conduct “area denial” operations in the western Pacific raises questions about the resilience of supply lines under sustained pressure.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet for the third time this year.
Sources
- China stages unannounced Pacific drills in 'silent intimidation' of Taiwan, officials say – AOL
- Taiwan
- A Recipe for Disaster in Taiwan
- Xi Jinping says Taiwan’s ‘complete reunification’ with China will happen
- China stages Pacific drills in ‘silent intimidation’ of Taiwan – Taipei Times
- Taiwan people mark 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth
Photo: 毛貓大少爺 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
