China Withdraws Warships Deployed Near Taiwan

Taiwanese authorities announced on Friday that Chinese ships conducting extensive naval drills near Taiwan over recent days, the largest in years, returned to their ports on Thursday.

“All Chinese Coast Guard vessels returned to China yesterday. Although they did not make an official announcement, we consider the drills to have concluded,” said Hsieh Ching-ching, Deputy Director-General of Taiwan’s Coast Guard, speaking to AFP on Friday.

A spokeswoman for Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that both warships and Chinese Coast Guard vessels were observed heading back to China’s mainland coast.

As part of increased military pressure, a senior Taiwanese security official revealed on Wednesday that around 90 warships and Chinese Coast Guard vessels had participated in recent maneuvers, including simulated attacks on ships and drills aimed at blockading waterways.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that China began planning a large-scale naval operation in October to demonstrate its ability to strangle Taiwan and to set a “red line” ahead of the new U.S. administration’s inauguration in January.

These drills followed a tour by Taiwan’s president, which included stops in U.S. territories Hawaii and Guam, provoking anger in Beijing and speculation about possible Chinese retaliation.

China considers Taiwan, a self-governing island, an inseparable part of its territory and opposes any international recognition of the island as a sovereign state.