China Escalates Tensions with Massive 'Joint Sword-2024B' Military Drills Around Taiwan

China's 'Joint Sword-2024B' Military Exercise Around Taiwan: A Stronger Stance in East Asia

In a display of military might and strategic positioning, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has launched its "Joint Sword-2024B" military exercise around Taiwan. The large-scale drill, conducted by the Eastern Theater Command, underscores Beijing's growing assertiveness regarding its sovereignty claims over Taiwan. This exercise comes amid escalating tensions in East Asia and reinforces China’s message to both Taiwan and the international community. Through coordinated military maneuvers involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, China aims to deter Taiwan's independence efforts while enhancing its combat readiness and control in the region.

Purpose of the Exercise: A Clear Message to Taiwan

The "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise, launched on October 14, 2024, is a direct response to Taiwan’s ongoing assertion of its independence. According to Senior Colonel Li Xi of the Eastern Theater Command, the drill serves as a warning against "Taiwan independence" movements and seeks to maintain China's national sovereignty and unity. With these objectives, China is sending a clear message that it is prepared to use force to prevent any separation of Taiwan from the mainland.

Comprehensive Combat Readiness and Strategic Control

The military drills demonstrate China’s ability to control vital areas around Taiwan through a multi-pronged, coordinated assault strategy. The exercise focuses on several key drills:

• Sea and air combat readiness patrols aimed at maintaining a strong military presence in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding areas.
• Blockade operations targeting key ports and strategic areas around Taiwan.
• Sea and land strikes to showcase China’s offensive capabilities.
• Comprehensive control to rapidly dominate the battlefield using coordinated multi-domain forces.

These activities are designed to simulate real conflict scenarios and test the PLA's ability to gain total control over key points in the event of a military confrontation.

Naval and Air Force Operations: Dominating the Skies and Seas

The "Joint Sword-2024B" exercises have seen a heavy deployment of Chinese naval and air assets. Naval forces, including multiple destroyers and frigates, were deployed in various locations around Taiwan. These ships participated in rapid combat deployments, practicing blockade maneuvers and controlling strategic maritime areas. This multi-domain approach highlights China’s capacity to prevent access to Taiwan by sea during a conflict.

Simultaneously, the PLA Air Force executed sophisticated drills, deploying advanced fighter jets and bombers in coordinated maneuvers around Taiwan. Fighter jets established air superiority by simulating air combat systems, while bombers conducted strategic strike drills over the Bashi Channel, a key maritime route. These actions are designed to showcase the PLA's ability to dominate the airspace and carry out precision strikes.

Army and Rocket Force Operations: Long-Range Strikes and Joint Blockades

The Chinese Army and Rocket Force also played critical roles in the exercise. Army units, including long-range rocket artillery, were mobilized to practice joint blockade tactics and high-alert mobile support operations. This demonstrates China’s capacity to strike from long distances and sustain prolonged operations in the region.

The Rocket Force conducted night-time mobilizations, simulating multi-wave strikes on predetermined targets. These exercises reflect China’s readiness to employ its missile capabilities in large-scale attacks, further reinforcing its message of military preparedness and deterrence against any outside intervention.

Tactical Approach: Encirclement and Rapid Battlefield Control

One of the core strategies of the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise is a multi-directional encirclement approach. Chinese military branches, including ships and aircraft, converged on Taiwan from various directions, forming a joint assault posture. This tactic is designed to quickly isolate and overwhelm Taiwanese defenses while demonstrating the PLA's ability to achieve comprehensive battlefield control through a coordinated ship-aircraft system.

This tactical approach also tests the joint combat capabilities of China’s military forces, enabling the PLA to refine its battlefield coordination and multi-domain integration. Such exercises are part of China's broader strategic goals of enhancing the operational efficiency of its military, especially in light of recent reforms within the armed forces.

Strategic Significance: Testing Regional Limits and Responses

Experts have noted that China’s "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise serves as both a military test and a geopolitical statement. These drills reflect China’s increasing use of "gray-zone" tactics to assert its influence in the region without triggering outright conflict. By staging such large-scale exercises, China is testing the limits of regional responses, particularly from Taiwan and external powers such as the United States.

The timing of the drills, shortly after Taiwanese President William Lai's National Day speech, is seen as a direct response to his continued defiance of Beijing's sovereignty claims. Analysts believe that China aims to deter not only Taiwanese independence efforts but also any external military support for Taiwan, particularly from the U.S.

Broader Implications: Rising Military Pressure in the Indo-Pacific

The "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise also has broader implications for the Indo-Pacific region. As U.S.-led military activities increase in the area, China’s drills are viewed as a strategic countermeasure, aimed at gaining leverage in ongoing geopolitical rivalries. With the U.S. presidential elections approaching and regional military exercises on the horizon, China appears to be positioning itself for greater influence in regional security dynamics.

Moreover, the involvement of newly reorganized units, such as the Aerospace, Cyberspace, and Information Support Forces, signals China’s intent to enhance its multi-domain operational capabilities. This growing integration of military technologies and forces is part of China’s long-term goal of asserting military superiority in East Asia.

Conclusion: China’s Military Assertiveness on Full Display

The "Joint Sword-2024B" military exercise is a clear demonstration of China’s increasing military assertiveness around Taiwan. Through coordinated naval, air, army, and missile operations, the exercise showcases China’s ability to rapidly gain control of strategic areas while deterring any efforts toward Taiwanese independence. As tensions continue to rise in the region, these exercises highlight China’s broader strategic ambitions and its readiness to challenge both Taiwan and external powers in the Indo-Pacific.

By staging such large-scale drills, China not only reaffirms its territorial claims but also sends a powerful message about its military capabilities and willingness to defend what it considers its national sovereignty.