TAIPEI — Taiwan’s defence ministry says China is intensifying preparations for a potential blockade of the island, with recent People’s Liberation Army exercises increasingly focused on controlling Taiwan’s air and sea access.
The assessment was included in Taiwan’s newly released 2026 China Military Power Report, submitted to lawmakers alongside the island’s five-year military development plan and proposed defence budget for next year.
According to the report, recent PLA exercises have increasingly rehearsed scenarios involving a coordinated blockade or quarantine of Taiwan’s maritime and air routes.
The drills have also included joint firepower strikes, efforts to establish battlefield superiority and amphibious landing operations, reflecting a broader focus on isolating Taiwan and limiting the ability of outside forces to intervene.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said the PLA is also developing capabilities designed to strengthen its ability to conduct anti-access and area-denial operations during a potential conflict.
Taiwan prepares for blockade scenario
Taiwan is simultaneously refining its own plans for responding to a blockade.
The island has been working to strengthen command, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, including greater use of artificial intelligence to support military decision-making.
Recent Taiwanese military exercises have also simulated disruptions to western ports and shipping routes, including scenarios in which essential supplies would have to reach Taiwan through alternative routes along its eastern coast.
Despite the PLA’s growing capabilities, Taiwan’s defence ministry said the Chinese military still faces significant challenges in carrying out a full-scale amphibious invasion.
A successful landing operation would require China to establish air and sea superiority, land forces at multiple locations and maintain a reliable flow of reinforcements and supplies.
Taiwanese analysts have nevertheless warned that the latest report indicates Beijing is continuing to accelerate preparations for a potential military contingency. Some of the capabilities under development could be completed in stages during the 2030s.
The latest assessment comes amid continued Chinese military activity around Taiwan. Taiwan’s defence ministry reported detecting PLA aircraft and Chinese naval and government vessels operating around the island on September 1.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China and has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force to achieve reunification. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains its own democratic system.
For now, the latest reports do not indicate that a blockade is imminent. Instead, they point to continued military preparations and exercises that Taiwan believes could provide China with more options in a future crisis.
The situation underscores the growing strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait, where military exercises, maritime activity and preparations for possible contingencies continue to raise regional security concerns.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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