Sep 23, 2026
China's Communist Party expelled two former top military officers, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, accusing them of political disloyalty and taking massive bribes as President Xi Jinping continues his sweeping purge of the armed forces.
Taiwan conducted annual air raid drills that included deliberately throttling mobile internet access to text-only speeds for the first time, simulating communication disruption during a potential Chinese attack. The exercises cleared streets in Taipei and other areas as air raid sirens sounded.
Taiwan's cabinet will propose a 16 percent increase in defense spending for 2027, exceeding NT$1 trillion (US$31-34 billion) for the first time, in response to increased military pressure from China and calls from Washington to strengthen its defense capabilities.
Foreign ministers from Pacific Island nations meeting in Suva, Fiji failed to reach consensus on a joint response to China's July missile launch in the region, with New Zealand's foreign minister Winston Peters criticizing the inability to condemn the test and accusing some nations of appeasing 'outsiders.'
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te actively participated in the annual Han Kuang military exercises, including a late-night evacuation drill in an armored personnel carrier to escape a simulated 'decapitation strike' and coastal strike drills aboard a missile boat with drone deployments. The 10-day exercises focus on preparedness against potential Chinese military assault and civilian resilience.
Taiwan began its largest annual military exercises on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, introducing more realistic battlefield scenarios including first-time internet access restrictions to test commanders' ability to respond flexibly to a potential Chinese invasion.
China's state broadcaster aired footage of the People's Liberation Army Air Force's intelligent strike-planning system, which uses artificial intelligence to coordinate simultaneous strikes by more than 100 tactical units with split-second precision after passing final live-fire tests.
China's military and coast guard conducted joint air and naval combat drills and patrols around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on July 30-31, 2026. Beijing characterized the maneuvers as a response to actions by countries that undermine regional stability.
Military researchers in China have utilized outputs from leading American artificial intelligence models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic to train domestic AI systems aimed at advancing China's defense capabilities, according to an exclusive Reuters report.
Chinese state media released footage showing a Type 052D destroyer launching a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile for the first time, signaling wider deployment of the advanced weapon across China's most numerous destroyer class. The missile is estimated to reach speeds of Mach 6-10 with extended range capabilities.
Live-fire military exercises conducted by China in the Taiwan Strait near Fujian province on July 23–24, 2026, followed high-level U.S.-China talks in Manila between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Maritime authorities issued navigation warnings for the drill areas.
Taiwan's National Security Bureau is tracking an unprecedented deployment of over 110 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels along the First Island Chain, marking what officials describe as an "upward trend" in Chinese military activity during peak exercise season. China has also launched new coast guard patrols east of Taiwan, prompting Taipei to deploy its own vessels in response.
China has promoted two new generals as part of a military shake-up following a prolonged anti-corruption campaign that has thinned the ranks of senior officers. The purge is seen as an effort by President Xi Jinping to ensure military loyalty to the Communist Party.
The United Kingdom, France and Germany issued a rare joint statement expressing concern over Chinese military actions in waters east of Taiwan, marking an unusual coordinated European response to tensions in the Taiwan Strait region.