China conducts drills near Taiwan on Lai’s one year in office

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te delivers an address to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration at the Presidential Office in Taipei on May 20, 2025. Agence France-Presse

BEIJING — China conducted amphibious drills in some of its closest waters to Taiwan as the self-ruled island’s president marked one year in office, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, detested by Beijing, vowed on Tuesday “to prepare for war to avoid war” and bolster the island’s economic resilience.

That morning, China sent several “armured vehicles” into waters off southern Fujian, the eastern Chinese province closest to Taiwan, CCTV said.

READ: Taiwan ‘willing’ to talk to China as island boosts defenses

Footage of the drills released by the broadcaster’s military outlet showed several camouflage-patterned tanks pushing off a sandy bank into the ocean.

Soldiers in orange life vests drove the tanks around floating obstacles, the roughly minute-long montage showed, backed by an operatic instrumental score.

“Soldier is our identity, training is our daily routine,” said one member of the Chinese brigade, adding: “We are always ready to fight.”

Sets of high-rises could be seen in the background of at least two frames.

READ: Taiwan’s Lai says island must show ‘determination’ to defend itself

China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it, has held several rounds of large-scale military drills around the island since Lai took office.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said Wednesday it had detected 15 aircraft and eight vessels of the People’s Liberation Army operating around the island in the last 24 hours.

China’s drills were “routine” and “scheduled”, and there was “no impact on the security of surrounding sea and airspace”, Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a statement.

Marking the anniversary, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office also slammed Lai’s “separatist position” that promoted “economic decoupling” across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing was “willing to engage in dialogue” with Taipei but on condition that it accepts “the one-China principle”, spokesperson Chen Binhua said, referring to its policy that states Taiwan is part of China.

Taiwan’s Lai said Tuesday there was room for communication with Beijing if there was “parity and dignity”.