China launched its most extensive war games around Taiwan on Monday to showcase Beijing’s ability to cut off the island from outside support in a conflict, testing Taipei’s resolve to defend itself and its arsenal of U.S.-made weapons.

The Eastern Theatre Command said it had deployed troops, warships, fighter jets and artillery for its “Justice Mission 2025” exercises to encircle the democratically governed island, conduct live fire and simulated strikes on land and sea targets, and drills to blockade Taiwan’s main ports.

The live-firing exercises will continue on Tuesday across a record seven zones designated by China’s Maritime Safety Administration, making the drills the largest to date by total coverage and in areas closer to Taiwan than previous exercises. The military had initially said artillery firing would be confined to five zones.

  • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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    21 hours ago

    “No, you see, my side is the good one and the defensive one in the upcoming war”

    -Every nation in every single war in history

    • GhostedIC@sh.itjust.works
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      13 hours ago

      Are you worried Taiwan is going to invade Beijing? Is chinas army that incompetent?

      I mean, it would be cool if they did but I don’t think even corrupt Chinese generals are that worthless.

      • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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        13 hours ago

        No, I’m not worried Taiwan is going to invade Beijing. I’m worried that the USA will attempt to put in place a seafare blockade against China together with the puppet nations of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, attempting to generate a casus belli for China against either of them and to manufacture another Ukraine but in the Chinese Sea.

          • mirshafie@europe.pub
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            8 hours ago

            I mean, there is some nuance to be considered here. The USA has made it abundantly clear that they plan for a major conflict in the South China Sea for over a decade now.

            When they finally left Afghanistan, the plan wasn’t to bring the troops home and never go on another campaign again. It was about shifting priorities. That’s what we’re seeing now.

            I don’t mean to downplay the aggressive aspects of this military exercise, I’m just saying there are multiple shades of gray here and that we lose some of the power to explain what’s happening if we amp up the contrast too much.

    • REDACTED@infosec.pub
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      18 hours ago

      Whoever is trying to capture territory from the other side is the invader by definition, putting the other side on the defence, as per definition.

      Are you saying Estonia wants to invade Russia? Dude’s clown costume’s made from diamonds

      • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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        17 hours ago

        Oh, sorry, I forgot, when did China invade Taiwan? Or anyone for that matter, since China hasn’t participated in a single war in 40 years.

        • REDACTED@infosec.pub
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          17 hours ago

          Expansionism can happen without official war declaration, but still a conflict. See: Tibet, Honk Kong, parts of Mongolia

          • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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            16 hours ago

            You mean the Taiwanese claim over such territories? I agree, it’s disgusting

            Thank God the PRC liberated Hong Kong from British colonial rule!

            • REDACTED@infosec.pub
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              16 hours ago

              This is delusional and you know it. Some obsolete map you pulled out from history and somehow trying to present it as a valid argument. Taiwan just wants to be independant, they don’t want to start conquering Asia, take the pills.

              • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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                16 hours ago

                The “obsolete” map, pulled from Wikipedia, is the territorial claims of the Republic of china as of 30th of December of 2025, definitely not obsolete.

                As for the identity of Taiwanese people, you’re very sure of something that’s hugely polemical within Taiwan:

                The manufacturing of a Taiwanese identity is fairly recent as you can see, and still many people feel both Chinese and Taiwanese.

                • zbyte64@awful.systems
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                  10 hours ago

                  If the CCP were to let the people of Taiwan decide their political system then this question of identity is moot, the people would simply decide what government they identify with. Bringing up identity in this context is like saying a government owns a particular identity, which it never does, it always belongs to the people.

                  • Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com
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                    10 hours ago

                    Well, knowing how the Republic of China is the continuation state to the fascist regime that got kicked out of mainland China during the Chinese Civil War and only was left alone because of US military support, it’s understandable how the PRC has serious claims to sovereignty over Taiwan.

                    Just out of curiosity: do you also advocate for the right to self-determination of the people in Crimea, Lugansk and Donetsk and condemn the Ukrainian state’s pre-2022 policy of preventing self-determination referenda?