Thunder In the Strait! China Flexes Muscle in Taiwan Drills

China today ramped up its military posturing with the "Strait Thunder-2025A" drills, zeroing in on the Taiwan Strait—a vital artery for global trade separating the self-governing island from the mainland.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted exercises for a second day, showcasing its Shandong aircraft carrier group and deploying 76 warplanes and 19 ships near Taiwan. The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, led by spokesperson Shi Yi, framed the maneuvers as a test of “area regulation, joint blockade, and precision strikes,” aimed squarely at curbing Taiwan’s independence ambitions.

Taiwan’s military kept a watchful eye, reporting 37 Chinese planes crossing the Strait’s unofficial midline—a boundary Beijing refuses to recognize. While no immediate alarm bells rang on the island of 23 million, officials have long cautioned that such drills could mask a surprise attack.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office pointed the finger at President Lai Ching-te, whose pro-independence stance has fueled Beijing’s ire since he took office.

The U.S., Taiwan’s key backer, didn’t mince words. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce slammed China’s “aggressive” tactics as a threat to regional stability, reaffirming America’s support amid rising tensions. With Beijing’s warplanes buzzing daily and exercises growing bolder, the Strait remains a geopolitical tinderbox. For Taiwan, which split from China 76 years ago, the drills are a stark reminder: independence comes with a shadow of thunder.