China’s sudden surge in amphibious warship construction has thrust a foundational military question to the forefront: can sheer industrial mass and converted civilian shipping overcome the lethal tactical choke points of a cross-strait invasion? The South China Morning Post (SCMP)…
Taiwan sends aircraft and naval vessels, deploys missile systems Nov. 5, 2026 09:26 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 21 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and eight official ships between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and the same time Thursday. Nineteen of…
User account menu (drawer) ACLED's Asia-Pacific Senior Research Assistant, Tomas Buenaventura, explains how the recent confrontation between Philippine and Chinese actors in the South China Sea fits within broader tensions. Tomas Buenaventura, Senior Research Assistant at ACLED, said: “ACLED’s South…
User account menu (drawer) Ahead of Trump's summit with Xi, ACLED's Laura Sorica discusses pressure around the Taiwan Strait. 21 September 2026 2 minute read Laura Sorica, Asia-Pacific Analyst at ACLED, said: “We are also seeing efforts to routinize this activity through ‘law-enforcement…
User account menu (drawer) ACLED's Asia-Pacific Analyst, Laura Sorica, looks at recent Chinese activity in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. 6 October 2026 2 minute read Last week saw a notable concentration of maritime incidents involving China around Taiwan and…
User account menu (drawer) Laura Sorica, Asia-Pacific Analyst at ACLED, comments on renewed maritime tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. 4 November 2026 2-minute-read Tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea have resurfaced…
If war over Taiwan erupts, Australia could face elements of the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command. While we often talk in generalities about defending Australia and our northern approaches, it’s the Southern Theater Command we need to watch most…
Data Cutoff: October 29, 2026 PLAN Exercises: The PLA Navy (PLAN) has conducted several large-scale deployments at critical chokepoints north and south of Taiwan since October 13. The PLAN’s movements suggest that it is conducting a large-scale exercise simulating placing naval assets east…
Data Cutoff: November 2, 2026 The People’s Liberation Army Navy Modernization. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) may be preparing to commission Sichuan, the only amphibious assault vessel in the world with an electromagnetic catapult. Sichuan would likely play an important role…
China’s HQ-9B air defence system has reportedly intercepted two ballistic missile targets during a military exercise, including one that changed course sharply in mid-flight. The drill tested the speed and precision of the People's Liberation Army Air Force’s missile defence…
Incursions, exercises, and cross‑strait tensions and deterrence.
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