Taipei, Taiwan — Tensions between Taiwan and China escalated this week as Taiwan condemned a series of Chinese military drills and incidents involving undersea cables, while also citing a surge in Chinese military activity near the island. Over the past week, Taiwan's military reported detecting 45 aircraft and 14 naval vessels operating in its vicinity, with some crossing into Taiwanese airspace and territorial waters.

In response to the drills, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense expressed concerns, stating, "China is the biggest troublemaker for regional peace and stability, and the sole and greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region," as reported by NPR.

Additionally, Taiwan recently detained a Chinese-flagged vessel suspected of severing an undersea communications cable.Military communications between Taiwan's main island and outlying areas were at risk after this incident, which follows a pattern of suspicious cable damage attributed to Chinese activities. The Taiwanese government has raised alarms about the security of its undersea infrastructure, stating that this was the third instance of such sabotage in two years, according to NPR.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has significantly increased military activity in the region, conducting live-fire drills without prior notice and reportedly escalating its military posturing in the Taiwan Strait. These actions prompted Taiwan's military to enhance its alert status, as they prepare to respond to potential threats.

On the diplomatic front, the U.S. has resumed approximately $870 million in security assistance to Taiwan, angering Beijing. China’s Defense Ministry condemned the U.S. funding as an act that "sends a gravely wrong signal" to forces seeking Taiwanese independence. This comes on the heels of President Trump's ambiguous stance regarding U.S. military intervention in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. In a recent Cabinet meeting, Trump stated he would not commit to any specific stance, aiming to maintain strong relations with China, as reported by Channel News Asia.

With China maintaining that it will use force if necessary to unify Taiwan with the mainland, Taiwan's government remains firm in its rejection of Beijing's claims, asserting that only the people of Taiwan can determine their future.

The ongoing situation raises significant concerns about regional security and the potential for escalated conflict in the Taiwan Strait as both Taiwan and China prepare for future military and political maneuvering.

For more details, visit the full article at Channel News Asia.