The size and scale of a recent Chinese military deployment is “unheard of,” says a diplomat in the region. Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory, says it is defending its sovereignty.

Taiwan's defence ministry reported a spike in Chinese military activity around the island on Wednesday, including 53 military aircraft, with Taiwan on high alert over Beijing's latest pressure campaign.

China, which views Lai as a separatist, held major military exercises around Taiwan following his inauguration in May and his National Day speech in October. It also held a major drill after Nancy Pelosi, then the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, visited Taiwan in 2022.