China deployed 100 vessels near Taiwan

Taiwan said on May 23 that China had deployed more than 100 navy, coast guard and other vessels across waters stretching from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea and the western Pacific, according to accounts carried by AFP and other outlets. A senior Taiwanese security official said the deployment began before U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and increased after the summit ended. Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s national security council secretary-general, separately said China was “the one and only problem” undermining the status quo and threatening regional peace and stability, according to reports citing his public remarks. The disclosure landed as Taipei was already tracking a steady stream of Chinese air and naval activity closer to the island. (straitstimes.com) ### Where did Taiwan say the vessels were operating? Taiwanese officials said the more than 100 vessels were spread across a broad arc of regional waters rather than concentrated in a single drill area. Reports citing the security briefing said the operating zone ran from the Yellow Sea through the East and South China seas into the western Pacific, underscoring the scale of the deployment described by Taipei. (yahoo.com) The senior security official who briefed reporters said the movement started before the Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing. That timing mattered to Taipei because it suggested the activity was not only a reaction to the summit’s outcome but part of a broader military and coast guard operation already under way. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) ### What did Taiwan detect near the island itself? Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on May 24 that it had detected 16 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels operating around Taiwan in the previous 24-hour reporting window. Thirteen of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone, according to reports citing the ministry’s daily disclosure. (straitstimes.com) The same ministry said Taiwan responded by monitoring the activity with its own aircraft, naval ships and coastal missile systems, according to Taiwan News’ account of the daily update. Taiwan News said the ministry had tracked Chinese military aircraft 186 times and ships 174 times so far in May. ### Why is Taipei calling this “grey-zone” pressure? Chiu Chui-cheng, the head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said China was trying to “eliminate” the Republic of China and annex Taiwan, while insisting Beijing — not Taipei — was changing the status quo in the strait. (taiwannews.com.tw) He described China’s approach as military intimidation and grey-zone coercion, according to reports citing an interview carried by Taiwanese media. The Mainland Affairs Council’s own English-language site has recently carried statements from senior officials saying the Chinese Communist Party is the source of disruption to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. That aligns with Taipei’s broader effort to frame the latest ship and aircraft activity as part of a sustained pressure campaign rather than an isolated military episode. (taipeitimes.com) ### How does the Trump-Xi meeting fit into this? Donald Trump’s May 2026 meeting with Xi in Beijing put Taiwan back at the center of U.S.-China messaging, according to contemporaneous coverage of the summit and its aftermath. Reports on the summit said Taiwan was treated by Beijing as a core issue in bilateral relations, while Taipei was watching for any signal that U.S. arms policy might shift. (mac.gov.tw) AFP-based reports on the vessel deployment said Trump had caused unease in Taipei by suggesting U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip with China. Taiwan’s account of the maritime buildup was released against that backdrop, linking military pressure in nearby waters with a moment of diplomatic uncertainty. (tpr.org) ### What comes next? Taiwan’s defence ministry is expected to continue publishing its daily tally of Chinese aircraft and ships operating around the island, and the Mainland Affairs Council has continued issuing public statements on cross-strait pressure. Beijing’s next formal response would most likely come through China’s defense ministry, foreign ministry or state media if Taipei’s account of the deployment prompts a rebuttal. (straitstimes.com) (taiwannews.com.tw)