China’s Escalation

China’s Escalation: Military Drills Around Taiwan and “Parasite” Rhetoric Against President Lai
On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, China initiated large-scale military drills around Taiwan, deploying naval vessels, aircraft, and artillery while simultaneously escalating its rhetoric against Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, whom it portrayed as a “parasite” in propaganda materials. The exercises, described by Beijing as a “stern warning” against separatism, have drawn international attention and condemnation from Taiwan and its allies.

The Military Drills and Their Scope
China’s Eastern Theater Command announced joint exercises involving the army, navy, air force, and rocket forces around Taiwan, with forces approaching the island from multiple directions. The drills were designed to test the military’s combat readiness and coordination capabilities in various scenarios. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, 19 Chinese naval vessels were detected in waters surrounding the island within a 24-hour period, while a total of 71 Chinese military aircraft were also observed operating in the area.

The exercises focused on several key military objectives including blockade operations, maritime and land-based strikes, and air interception maneuvers. China’s military deployed ships and aircraft to practice “seizing comprehensive control, striking maritime and land targets and imposing blockade controls on key areas and routes,” according to statements from the Eastern Theater Command. The Shandong aircraft carrier, China’s first domestically manufactured carrier, has been monitored by Taiwan since Saturday and its carrier group entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Monday.

Unlike previous exercises conducted in 2024, these drills were not formally named and were launched without prior notice, potentially indicating China’s intent to normalize such military activities around Taiwan. There have been no reports of live ammunition being used during the operations, though the scale and suddenness of the drills have nonetheless raised tensions in the region.

The “Parasite” Rhetoric
In conjunction with the military exercises, China’s Eastern Theater Command released propaganda videos and images that marked a significant escalation in rhetoric against Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. Most notably, one animated clip titled “Shell” portrayed Lai as a green insect or “parasite” being held by chopsticks above a burning Taiwan.

The animation included derogatory text stating: “Parasite poisoning Taiwan island. Parasite hollowing Island out. Parasite courting ultimate destruction”. This represents a rhetorical escalation from China’s usual practice of referring to Lai as a “separatist”. The video was accompanied by a poster called “Closing In” which illustrated Chinese vessels and aircraft encircling Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo condemned this rhetoric, stating that the “parasite” language illustrated Beijing’s provocative nature and was not conducive to regional peace. The imagery and language used in the propaganda materials demonstrate China’s continued efforts to delegitimize Taiwan’s democratically elected leadership while asserting its territorial claims over the island.

Political Context and Triggers
Several factors appear to have triggered this latest round of military exercises and hostile messaging. The drills follow increased Chinese rhetoric against President Lai and come shortly after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to Asia, during which he repeatedly criticized Beijing and reaffirmed American support for regional allies.

Tensions have intensified since March when President Lai referred to China as a “foreign hostile force” and introduced 17 strategies to counteract threats from Beijing. These strategies included reinstating military courts for espionage cases involving military personnel and enhancing supervision of cultural, political, and religious interactions with China. Beijing has rejected Lai’s overtures for dialogue, maintaining its position that Taiwan is part of China’s territory.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office explicitly stated that the exercises were directed at Lai, describing them as “resolute punishment for the reckless provocations” by his administration. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Chinese government’s Taiwan Affairs Office, remarked during a briefing: “Pursuing ‘Taiwan independence’ means pushing the people of Taiwan into a perilous situation of war. We will not permit any individual or entity to separate Taiwan from China”.

Taiwan’s Response
Taiwan’s government strongly condemned the drills, with the Presidential Office stating that China was “widely recognised by the international community as a troublemaker”. In response to the Chinese military activity, Taiwan deployed its own warships and aircraft and activated land-based missile systems to monitor the exercises.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo characterized China as an “obvious troublemaker” disrupting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He urged the Chinese military to address internal corruption rather than engage in regional provocations, referencing Beijing’s dismissal of two former defense ministers amid a military anti-corruption campaign last year.

The Taiwanese government firmly rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, asserting that only the island’s 23 million people have the right to determine their future. Taiwan’s Presidential Office also highlighted the broader regional implications, posting on social media that “China’s blatant military provocations not only threaten peace in the Taiwan Strait but also undermine security in the entire region”.

International Dimensions
The timing of China’s military exercises appears strategically significant. A senior Taiwanese security official suggested to Reuters that Beijing was attempting to avoid direct confrontation with Washington ahead of US-China trade negotiations, using Taiwan as a pretext for its drills. This perspective aligns with observations that the exercises were launched immediately following US Defense Secretary Hegseth’s departure from Asia.

The American Institute in Taiwan, which functions as the de facto US embassy, criticized the drills and reaffirmed that the United States would continue to support Taiwan. A spokesperson stated, “Once again, China has demonstrated that it is not a responsible actor and is willing to jeopardize regional security and prosperity”.

These developments occur against the backdrop of the Biden-Trump transition in the United States, raising questions about continuity in US policy toward Taiwan. The incoming administration has emphasized the necessity for the US to focus resources on countering Chinese ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

Conclusion
China’s military drills around Taiwan and its inflammatory rhetoric against President Lai represent a significant escalation in cross-strait tensions. The exercises demonstrate Beijing’s willingness to use military pressure and propaganda to assert its territorial claims over Taiwan, while simultaneously sending messages to the United States and other regional powers about its resolve.

For Taiwan, these actions reinforce the persistent security challenges it faces from mainland China. Despite the military pressure, Taiwan’s government has maintained its position that the island’s future should be determined by its people, not by Beijing. As regional tensions continue to simmer, the international community, particularly the United States, faces the ongoing challenge of balancing support for Taiwan’s democratic governance with the need to prevent a broader military conflict in the Taiwan Strait.