China has initiated two days of military drills around Taiwan following the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te. The exercises, branded as “punishment” for what Beijing terms “separatist acts,” commenced on May 23, 2024, involving the army, navy, air force, and rocket force operating in areas surrounding Taiwan including the Taiwan Strait and the offshore islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announced that the drills, named Joint Sword-2024A, aim to serve as a “strong punishment for the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan independence’ forces” and as a warning against external interference. Taiwan responded by placing its sea, air, and ground forces on high alert, condemning the drills as “irrational provocation” and an attempt to disrupt regional peace and stability.

These actions follow Lai Ching-te’s swearing-in on May 20 after a democratic election victory in January. Lai, and his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, are members of the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which China views as promoting Taiwanese independence. China has expressed strong discontent with Lai’s previous remarks about Taiwan’s sovereignty, calling him a “dangerous separatist.”

During his inaugural address, Lai urged China to stop its intimidation tactics and reiterated Taiwan’s stance on maintaining its democracy and sovereignty. Despite China’s insistence that Taiwan is a part of its territory, Taiwan’s leaders and populace reject any notion of Chinese Communist Party rule.

The drills mark China’s most recent show of military force, following similar actions in response to previous encounters involving high-level U.S. visits to Taiwan. Analysts suggest that the current exercises signal possible future military activities targeting Taiwan, aligning with Beijing’s long-standing strategy to exert pressure and potentially force Taiwan’s acquiescence through military means.