China-Taiwan
Beijing has announced no major exercise, but military activity around Taiwan has risen. Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu said in early November that more than 100 Chinese navy and coast guard vessels were deployed across the Western Pacific, calling it a threat to Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, a figure from Taiwan's government that has not been independently confirmed. Taiwan's defense ministry detected 19 PLA aircraft on Nov. 2 and 22 on Nov. 4, 14 of which entered the air defense identification zone, and four aircraft, six navy ships and two official ships on Nov. 8. The Diplomat said the PLA may be running an unannounced 'silent exercise' simulating an encirclement of Taiwan. Live-fire drills off China's coast and joint combat-readiness patrols took place in early October. There has been no direct clash.
Background
The cross-Strait split dates to 1949, when the Nationalist government lost the Chinese civil war and relocated to Taiwan. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and seeks unification, while Taiwan operates as a democracy with its own government and military. China's 2005 Anti-Secession Law set out non-peaceful means as a last resort to prevent Taiwan's secession. The United States does not formally recognize Taiwan but maintains unofficial ties and sells it defensive arms under the Taiwan Relations Act.
Key issues
- Taiwan's legal and political status
- Chinese military pressure and drills around the Taiwan Strait
- US support and arms sales to Taiwan
- Cross-Strait exchanges and unification versus independence debates
Key milestones
| 1949-12 | Nationalist government relocates to Taiwan, cementing the split |
|---|---|
| 1979-01 | US establishes ties with Beijing; Taiwan Relations Act enacted in 1979 |
| 1996-03 | Chinese missile exercises trigger the third Taiwan Strait crisis |
| 2005-03 | China adopts the Anti-Secession Law |
| 2022-08 | China holds large-scale drills after US House Speaker Pelosi's visit |
Parties
China vs Taiwan (with US arms support)
Countries involved
Key events in the last 30 days
| 11-09 | Geopolitics & DiplomacyRare-earth control suspension lapses Nov. 10; no extension notice yet |
|---|---|
| 10-26 | Geopolitics & DiplomacyMagnitude 7.0 earthquake hits Nagqu, Tibet (22 October), killing 16 |
Key relations
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Tension🇺🇸 United States → 🇨🇳 China
US presses rare earth and farm commitments before Shenzhen APEC
Bessent and Greer urged He Lifeng to honour rare earth and farm-purchase commitments, while He voiced concern over US curbs. Trump and Xi are expected to meet at APEC in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19.
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Tension🇨🇳 China → 🇵🇭 Philippines
China-Philippines South China Sea tension
Manila accused Chinese military and coast guard units in early October of harassing government aircraft and vessels near Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys. Chinese vessels in Philippine-claimed waters nearly doubled to 101 in September.
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Tension🇨🇳 China → 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Carrier-led 'area denial' drills in Western Pacific
Taiwan's defence minister said on Nov. 10 that China was running carrier-led area denial drills in the Western Pacific, ahead of the APEC summit and Taiwan's local elections.
Other issues in these countries
- Geopolitics & Diplomacy🇨🇳 China
US and China trade chiefs hold call ahead of Shenzhen APEC (Nov. 18-19); Washington presses on rare earth and farm commitments
- Finance & Economy🇨🇳 China
Shanghai Composite up 0.46% to 3,680.64; Hang Seng falls about 1%
- Tech & Energy🇨🇳 China
China extends pause on expanded rare earth export controls by two months to Jan. 10, 2027
- Geopolitics & Diplomacy🇹🇼 Taiwan
Taiwan's defence minister says China staging carrier-led 'area denial' drills in Western Pacific ahead of APEC and local elections
- Finance & Economy🇹🇼 Taiwan
Taiex adds about 2.5% as TSMC and MediaTek rise over 2%
- Tech & Energy🇹🇼 Taiwan
TSMC board approves up to $500 million each for Anthropic and OpenAI stakes, raises quarterly dividend