US-China Relations ↓ Negative

Taiwan Strait Tensions Escalate After Unprecedented Military Exercises

Al Jazeera by David Crawshaw February 11, 2026 · 03:59 1 day ago
Summary

PLA conducts largest-ever simulated blockade exercise near Taiwan, drawing sharp international response.

China's People's Liberation Army conducted what military analysts are calling its largest and most complex military exercise in the Taiwan Strait to date, involving over 70 naval vessels, 100 aircraft, and simulated amphibious landing operations.

The exercises, which continued for four days, effectively established temporary exclusion zones in areas normally used for commercial shipping, causing significant disruption to one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.

The United States, Japan, and Australia issued a joint statement expressing concern about the exercises, while Taiwan's defense ministry reported that it had maintained continuous surveillance and readiness throughout the period.

Analysis

Relevance Score
88%
Critical
Sentiment
↓ -0.72 Negative
Source Reliability
7.0 / 10 Medium

Source

Al Jazeera
aljazeera.com
Mainstream Qatar