China has deployed its Shandong aircraft carrier group near Taiwan as part of a new round of large-scale military exercises involving air, naval, ground, and missile forces, according to officials in Taipei.
The move, which included 21 additional warships, represents one of the most expansive PLA operations in the region this year.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China (Taiwan) said the People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels, led by the Shandong carrier, were first detected on March 29 and entered Taiwan’s response zone on March 30. In a public statement, the ministry said, “The #PLA Navy vessels, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong were detected from March 29th and entered into our response zone yesterday, ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”
Taiwanese defense officials characterized the deployment as part of a growing trend of Chinese military pressure targeting the island and its surrounding air and maritime space. The ministry said, “PRC continues to escalate military activities in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region, intensifying military threats, challenging the international order and regional stability, thereby becoming the greatest ‘troublemaker’ in the eyes of the international community.”
#ROCArmedForces have deployed mission aircraft, vessels, and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor and maintain situational awareness of #PLA aircraft and ships entering our response zone. pic.twitter.com/BVX7VurPCT
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) April 1, 2025
The exercises mark a further escalation in what Taipei has described as ongoing “gray-zone” tactics—operations that fall short of open conflict but seek to test defenses, disrupt routine operations, and apply political pressure. Taiwan’s military emphasized that it is maintaining a measured posture.
“The ROC Armed Forces adhere to the principle of ‘no escalation of conflict, no provocation of disputes,’ responding prudently to gray-zone harassment to safeguard national sovereignty and the security of the people,” the defense ministry stated.
The Shandong, China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, has previously operated in the western Pacific but rarely in such proximity to Taiwan in a drill involving this scale of multi-branch coordination. The current operation signals continued military posturing by Beijing amid heightened regional tensions.
No live-fire activity has been reported, but Taiwan remains on alert as the situation develops.