Taiwan Warns: China's Military Drills Could Block Trade

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that a Chinese blockade of the island wouldn’t just be a drill, but actually an act of war. This comes after China’s recent military exercises, known as “Joint Sword-2024B”. These drills practiced scenarios like blocking important ports and attacking maritime targets. Koo explained that while drills are different from real blockades, such actions would have a big impact on global trade. The Taiwan Strait, where one-fifth of the world’s freight passes through, wouldn’t be unaffected. Koo also mentioned that China isn’t recognizing the median line of the strait, which acts as a buffer between the two sides. On the same day, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that a Chinese aircraft carrier group, led by the Liaoning, had traveled through the strait. This isn’t the first time China has done this, and it’s part of their ongoing military activities around Taiwan. Other countries, like the US, have also been sailing through these waters to assert their navigation rights, which China disagrees with. Taiwan’s coast guard has a plan if Chinese ships board their civilian vessels—they’ll respond firmly but won’t start a fight.