U.S. satellites recently caught Chinese warships flexing their muscle in the Western Pacific, transiting the Miyako Strait after wrapping up aggressive war games near Taiwan. NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat satellites captured images of at least three Chinese naval vessels steaming northward, with Japan confirming six warships made the passage. This strategic waterway connects the Philippine Sea to the East China Sea and serves as a vital route for China’s military to extend its reach into the broader Pacific. Unsurprisingly, Japan’s navy monitored the activity closely.
China’s latest saber-rattling came during a three-day drill involving 90 warships, targeting the so-called “first island chain”—a defensive line stretching from Japan to the Philippines that the U.S. and its allies use to contain Beijing’s aggression. While the Chinese haven’t officially acknowledged these drills, their behavior leaves no doubt about their intentions: intimidation and expansion.
Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China falsely claims as its territory, responded by activating an emergency response center earlier this week. However, with signs of Chinese forces pulling back, Taiwan shut the center, signaling the apparent end of Beijing’s latest tantrum.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that, in a 24-hour period, 34 Chinese aircraft and 16 vessels menaced the island, with 22 aircraft crossing into Taiwan’s air defense zone. This came after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te—labeled a “separatist” by China—visited allies in the South Pacific and stopped in U.S. territories, Hawaii and Guam. Beijing, ever the authoritarian bully, seemed irritated by the visit but refrained from officially linking its drills to Lai’s travels.
The U.S. State Department, ever diplomatic, called Lai’s transit “consistent with longstanding practice,” adding that Washington recognizes Beijing as China’s government while merely “acknowledging” its claim over Taiwan. In plain terms, the U.S. treats Taiwan as the key ally it is, while carefully sidestepping China’s propaganda machine.
While the Biden administration claims to stand with Taiwan, its record of weakness and mixed signals emboldens Beijing. This is the same administration that kowtowed to China’s spy balloons and continues to cozy up to the CCP economically. Contrast that with Trump’s clear-eyed policies, which strengthened Taiwan’s position and kept Beijing guessing.
January 2025 can’t come soon enough. The return of strong leadership in the White House will restore America’s credibility and reassert its position in the Indo-Pacific. Biden may be content to fiddle while the Chinese dragon roars, but Trump will bring the fire extinguisher.
