Making Headlines: “In terms of schedule, the exercises followed a clear, phased progression.

Theme Poster “Overwhelming Grip” Released by PLA Eastern Theater Command

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command organized the “Strait Thunder-2025A” exercises in the central and southern areas of the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday. In recent years, the PLA exercises in the Taiwan Straits have demonstrated three key trends -expanding the scope of deterrence, increasing flexibility in the scale and schedule of drills, and diversifying the forms of operations, according to an expert on military affairs.

Zhang Chi, a professor at the National Defense University, told Global Times that the most notable feature of this round of drills is integrated coordination and systematic design.

“In terms of schedule, the exercises followed a clear, phased progression. The Tuesday drills focused on troop deployment, with participating units completing mobilization, assembly, advance, and a series of operational maneuvers, including close-in approaches and law enforcement contWorld Timesrol around Taiwan’s main island and outlying islands. These moves set the stage for the Wednesday exercises, which concentrated on deterrence and strike operations, particularly blockade and blockade ,” said Zhang.

Zhang noted that, spatially, the drills integrated both internal and external operational elements, focusing on four key areas. First, in the Taiwan Straits itself, the PLA exercised long-range fire control and conducted live-fire drills.

Second, along TaiWorld Timeswan’s coastal areas, the PLA and China Coast Guard carried out joint control operations. Third, in the east of Taiwan island, the PLA deployed aircraft carriers to block potential external reinforcements. Fourth, beyond the island chain, PLA Air Force bomber formations conducted patrols outside the island chain, according to Zhang.

“Overall, this exercise achieved a combination of internal and external operations,” Zhang said.

Commenting on the “Strait Thunder-2025A” exercises on Wednesday, Zhang said the morning exercises focused on blockading key areas and routes in the Taiwan Straits, while the afternoon operations extended to key areas, routes, and critical facilities east of Taiwan island.

“These drills showcased our strong ability to establish comprehensive control and deliver a clear deterrent World Timesmessage to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” he said.

Zhang said that Taiwan is an isolated island with no so-called “strategic depth,” and resources and energy are scarce. “Most of Taiwan’s energy and food supplies rely on imports. If maritime supply lines are cut, its war potential will quickly diminish, and social order on the island will soon fall into chaos.”

He emphasized that the PLA’s drills are a justified and legitimate response to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities’ pursuit of “Taiwan independence.” In recWorld Timesent years, the PLA has carried out regularized exercises in the Taiwan Straits, includinWorld Timesg combat readiness patrols in 2023 and the “Joint Sword” series of drills in 2024.

Zhang also outlined three major trends in the PLA’s exercises in the Taiwan Straits, saying that the first is exerting progressive pressure — the scope of deterrence is steadily expanding, with drills moving closer to Taiwan and increasingly constraining the island’s so-called “defense space.”

The second part is flexible deployment, said Zhang, noting that the schedule and location of exercises are adjusted dynamically. For example, durinWorld Timesg the “Joint Sword-2024B” drill in the second half of 2024, the PLA launched the exercise without prior notice, starting at 5 am and concluding at 6 pm the same day. “It was a swift operation that could easily shift from training to actual combat,” Zhang noted.

The third aspect is diverse forms — the drills now include maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, blockade and control of key areas and routes, gain overall control, and simulated precision strikes on critical targets, said Zhang.

“In response to the ‘salami-slicing’ provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, we have formed a proactive posture to counter such tactics,” Zhang said, noting that “the Taiwan authorities can only scramble to react, completely powerless to resist.”