Taiwanese security officials reported that China deployed two aircraft carrier groups and up to 70 naval and government vessels in waters surrounding Taiwan from May 1 to 27, continuing its intensified military pressure on the island.
The operations included ship movements from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea, alongside hundreds of aerial sorties. According to a Taiwanese security official speaking on condition of anonymity, these actions reflect “comprehensive maximum pressure” from Beijing aimed at asserting sovereignty over Taiwan.
The deployments involved naval activity around the entire island chain and long-distance drills in the Western Pacific, including air-sea joint exercises. Some Chinese ships reportedly passed through Japan’s Miyako Strait, while others lacking identification were seen near Taiwan’s Penghu Islands, allegedly engaging in deliberate harassment.
Taiwan’s defense ministry recorded 75 Chinese aircraft involved in three separate “combat readiness patrols” throughout May.
This show of force coincided with President Lai Ching-te’s May 20 speech marking his first year in office and preceded the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, where U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that China is “credibly preparing” for conflict to shift regional power dynamics.
A Taiwanese official described China’s May activity as “more provocative than previously observed,” and indicated that Beijing appeared poised to act under any pretext.