Tensions in the Taiwan Strait are escalating, set against the backdrop of a politically charged period leading up to Taiwan’s 2024 general elections and the scheduled visit of former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on August 7, 2023.
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had previously underscored Japan’s vested interest in Taiwan, indicating possible indirect involvement. Such high-profile political moves have potential implications for weapon sales and policy directions.
Despite the political heat, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has seen a reduction in the frequency of their military operations across the Taiwan Strait, which analysts suggest is due to recent typhoon conditions. Nevertheless, the PLA still deployed around 20 aircraft, including J-10, J-16, Su-30, Y-8Q, and KJ-500 models, with over ten of these crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and some entering Taiwan’s southwest airspace.
In addition to this air activity, the PLA naval fleet has also embarked on large-scale joint readiness patrols. Notably, a portion of this fleet, including the 052D missile destroyer, is operating near North American waters. The 052D, which has previously docked in the South Pacific, Africa, and NATO member states in Europe, is now part of a task force with several Russian military vessels near the Aleutian Islands. The U.S. has identified this as the largest fleet ever to approach its coastlines, interpreting this joint China-Russia operation as a warning to the U.S. and its allies.