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BEIJING/TOKYO - China has mobilized an unprecedented number of naval and coast guard vessels across key East Asian maritime territories, staging its largest-ever maritime display of force following a sharp escalation in tensions with Japan. The massive deployment—involving over 100 vessels at its peak—appears to be a direct response to recent remarks by a senior Japanese official suggesting intervention in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.

Sources, including four regional security officials and intelligence reports reviewed by Reuters, indicate that the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) deployed more than 100 ships across a vast area, stretching from the southern Yellow Sea through the East China Sea and into the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Unprecedented Scale of Deployment

An intelligence report from a neighboring country, reviewed by Reuters on condition of anonymity, stated that as of Wednesday morning, more than 90 Chinese vessels were operating in East Asian waters, with the number briefly exceeding 100 earlier this week.

While Beijing traditionally sees an increase in military exercises towards the end of the year, the current scale of the operation is described as the largest to date. It surpasses the size of a similar encirclement drill conducted in December of last year, when China deployed 90 vessels—60 naval warships and 30 coast guard vessels—around Taiwan in response to a visit by Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te to US territories.

Friction Triggered by Japanese Remarks

China has not publicly commented on the massive exercise. However, Reuters reports that the surge in Chinese maritime activity coincides with a period of heightened Sino-Japanese friction, specifically following comments made by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi's remarks—which hinted at Japanese involvement should a crisis erupt in the Taiwan Strait—have clearly elevated the strategic rivalry between the two major Asian powers.

The deployment serves as a strong signal of China’s resolve to assert its sovereignty claims over Taiwan and to deter external interference, particularly from key regional allies like Japan and the United States.

Taiwan on High Alert

Across the strait, Taiwan is closely monitoring the situation. Tsai Ming-yen, Director-General of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB), confirmed that China was operating four naval formations in the Western Pacific as of Tuesday morning, though he did not disclose specific locations or details.

When questioned about the possibility of new Chinese military exercises targeting Taiwan before the end of the year, Tsai advised that the island nation must "expect as broad a range as possible and closely monitor any changes in related activities."

In a statement, Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui affirmed Taiwan's confidence in its security posture, stating that the nation has "a full, real-time grasp of the security situation in the Taiwan Strait and the broader region, ensuring there is no cause for concern for national security." Kuo added that Taiwan would "work closely with its partners to deter unilateral actions that could threaten regional stability."

This colossal display of naval power underscores the volatile security environment in the region, where the Taiwan issue and competing territorial claims continue to fuel major military maneuvers and diplomatic crises between the world's great powers.

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