China Carries Out Huge Drills Around Taiwan
Timing coincides with U.S. Secretary of Defense's first visit to Asia
On Tuesday, China's navy carried out a massive drill in the Western Pacific as a "stern warning" to the independent government of Taiwan.
It was the latest in a series of muscular exercises that many analysts view as a rehearsal for a naval blockade or invasion. The People's Liberation Army used similar language, describing the drill as a preparatory exercise for "seizing comprehensive control, striking maritime and land targets and imposing blockade controls." An estimated 20 Chinese warships and 70 military aircraft joined the exercise.
The carrier Shandong and her escorts joined the operation in a major show of force. According to the Japan Self Defense Force, the task force was spotted east of Taiwan, positioned to interdict vessels arriving from the Pacific and the Philippine Sea.
Political science professor Ja Ian Ching of the National University of Singapore told Bloomberg that the political objective of China's drills is to "weaken confidence in U.S. deterrence" and display how far the Chinese military can go in operating near Taiwan.
"The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affairs that brook no external interference," asserted Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun in a press conference Tuesday. "The DPP authorities are hellbent on seeking 'Taiwan independence,' and attempt to solicit external support for that agenda . . . The historical trend that China will and must achieve reunification is unstoppable."
Australia Watches, and Speculates, as Chinese Research Vessel Sails Nearby
The Australian government confirmed it is tracking the movements of a Chinese research vessel that many believe is also a spy ship as it sails along the Southern Coast. While the vessel has done nothing considered improper, it is drawing wide attention in the Australian media which prompted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to tell reporters, “I would prefer that it wasn’t there.”
The Tan Suo Yi Hao departed Wellington, New Zealand on March 23 and its AIS signal shows it is bound for Sanya, China where it is due on April 30. However, instead of taking a northern course, the vessel transited the Tasman Sea, between New Zealand and Australia, crossed the Bass Strait, and is now traveling along the southern coast of Australia. It has not requested a port stop in Australia.
The media was quick to highlight that it is the same route that Chinese warships took last month after conducting live-fire exercises that also raised concern in Australia. Concerns over the vessel’s purpose were further increased when China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun largely declined to respond to a question when asked during his regular briefing for the media.
“I would like to emphasize that China has always carried out normal maritime activities in relevant waters in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. I hope the Australian side will view it correctly and not be suspicious or make unwarranted speculations,” said Guo. He directed the question to the relevant authorities.
The vessel operates as one of three ships for China’s Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) within the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was built in 1984 as an offshore supply vessel and converted between 2014 to 2016 to its role as a research ship. China reports the vessel, which is 5,000 gross tons, has 11 research labs and supports two submersibles, one capable of nearly 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) and the other going to 32,800 feet (10,000 meters).
In 2016, it carried out China's first 10,000-meter and deepest exploration along the Mariana Trench. It again set a depth record on the Mariana Trench in 2020 of 10,900 meters.
Albanese told reporters that they were aware of the vessel’s presence. He said he was confident in the Australian Defense Force which was tracking the ship’s movements. The media reports note the presence of undersea cables in the area where the vessel is sailing as well as other critical infrastructure in the region.
“It’s been in New Zealand on a joint research operation and this isn’t the first time that a similar vessel has been around the Australian coast. It occurred in 2020, just to give one example. Australia, as you would expect, is monitoring this,” Albanese said in response to reporter’s questions on Monday.
Five Chinese Nationals Arrested for Spying on U.S. Navy at Subic Bay
In a rare public bust, Philippine police have arrested five Chinese nationals and two accomplices for allegedly spying on U.S. Navy ship movements in Subic Bay.
Last week, a task force led by the Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) launched a tactical raid at Grande Island, a former strategic fort at the entrance to Subic Bay. Today, it is home to a Chinese-operated resort complex, along with the ruins of U.S.-built Fort Wint.
The five Chinese suspects were posing as recreational fishermen and tourists, according to the NBI, and were accompanied by one Cambodian national and one Filipino guard. (Initial reports appear to have misidentified the Cambodian suspect as a sixth Chinese national.)
"We have identified this group as the one flying drones during the day and night under the guise of sending fishing bait out to sea," NBI cybercrime official Van Angluben said at a press conference. "These drones are actually being used for surveillance . . . of the U.S. Asiatic [Indo-Pacific] fleet."
The men had multiple photos of American warships on their personal devices, according to NBI, along with images of shipments of military cargo. The police also recovered a handwritten document marked in Chinese characters, which described the date, time and ID of vessels coming and going from Subic Bay.
Immigration records show that the foreign nationals entered and exited the Philippines frequently, the agency said.
The Chinese suspects declined to comment, but the Filipino man who was arrested with them - identified as Melvin Aguillon - told media that he was not aware of the alleged spying activity. "I'm just the driver," he told ANC. He was in possession of an illegal firearm at the time of his arrest, according to the NBI.
The Chinese resort operator's lease on the island is now under review, according to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
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