Taiwan in the crosshairs of maneuvers: China expands pressure zone, Trump does not believe in a strike

Chinese military exercises have once again raised the tension around Taiwan — with live-fire drills, designated zones in the sea, and a signal that Beijing is ready to “keep the island in check” for as long as necessary.

Against this backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly doubted that China would actually decide to attack. The comment came after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — at a time when Washington is simultaneously trying to maintain a trade truce with Beijing and avoid slipping into a new phase of direct confrontation.

Chinese military forces have outlined seven major zones around Taiwan, turning the area near the island into a “training ground” for the largest maneuvers in decades. It is specifically emphasized that the actions were a response to the recent sale of American weapons to Taiwan: for Beijing, this is a familiar trigger, followed by a show of force — to demonstrate to Taipei and the U.S. the cost of further steps.

Taiwan, for its part, reported a sharp increase in activity off its coast. According to the island’s Ministry of Defense, 90 Chinese aircraft crossed sensitive coastal zones, and 14 Chinese military ships were also detected in the area. For Taipei, this is not just statistics: such numbers are an indicator of how close the exercises bring military infrastructure to a real blockade scenario.

In his assessments, Trump emphasized a personal channel — stating good relations with Xi Jinping and expressing doubt that Beijing would go for a direct attack. Simultaneously, his preparation for a visit to China in April is on the agenda, which looks like an attempt not to break the negotiation line at a time when very different lines — military ones — are being drawn at sea.

In response to U.S. actions, Beijing announced an increased risk of conflict and imposed symbolic sanctions against 20 American defense companies and their leaders. The measure is more political than economically sensitive, but it fits into the typical scheme: to show a “response,” reinforce the narrative of external interference, and keep the domestic audience in the logic of “we are responding firmly.”

China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province, while Taipei categorically denies this. On Monday, Chinese military forces began the Justice Mission 2025 exercises — the first since April, when maneuvers practicing blockade elements were conducted. Such an exercise calendar increasingly resembles not one-time flare-ups but a rhythm of pressure that the region is forced to get used to.

Currently, the key uncertainty is not whether there will be a “loud statement,” but which step will be too sharp: another arms delivery, another exercise zone, another aircraft flight in the “gray” area. And that is why attention to detail — who, where, and how forces are moved — becomes part of everyday security, as reported by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.