China Conducts Unannounced Maritime Drills Near Taiwan

China carried out live-fire military exercises near Taiwan on October 11, following Taiwan’s National Day, without providing advance warning to regional authorities.

The drills, described as intended to 'deter Taiwan independence and external interference,' included live-fire operations that disrupted air travel and posed risks to civilian lives.

The lack of advance notice violated international maritime norms, including those set by the International Maritime Organisation and the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Chinese naval vessels conducted similar unannounced live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea, with Australian authorities only learning of the drills after an airline pilot raised the alarm.

These actions are part of a broader pattern of Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, including inspections of merchant ships and the establishment of a regular law enforcement team in the region.

China’s encirclement of Taiwan through such tactics could lead to a military conflict that would severely impact the global economy, with potential losses estimated by Bloomberg at 10% of global GDP.