2022 Chinese military exercises around Taiwan

2022 Chinese military exercises around Taiwan
Part of the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis,
and the Cross-Strait conflict
Areas where People's Liberation Army exercises were scheduled to take place between 4–7 August
Date4–15 August 2022 (2022-08-04 – 2022-08-15)
Location
Ocean surrounding Taiwan
Caused byNancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit
Resulted inStart of the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis
Parties
Lead figures

The 2022 Chinese military exercises around Taiwan (traditional Chinese: 2022年環臺軍事演練; simplified Chinese: 2022年环台军事演练) were a series of large-scale live-fire military exercises that lasted from 4–11 August 2022 by the People's Republic of China (PRC) that encircled the island Taiwan, which has been under the control of the dissidents government of the Republic of China (ROC) since 1949. The military exercises involved naval deployments, air sorties and ballistic missile launches by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The exercises started in response to then-United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

The military exercises were the first batch of an ongoing series of large-scale, multi-zonal show of force by China against Taiwan and some of its key foreign backers over the next few years, collectively coined as the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis. These exercises, which drew criticism from the G7 nations, were intended to deter what the PRC perceives as US involvement in "internal Chinese affairs" and to demonstrate Chinese military power in the region to both international and domestic audiences. The scale and ferocity of these live-fire drills were unprecedented in recent history and took place in seven zones that surrounded the island's busiest international waterways and aviation routes, demonstrating their capacity to completely blockade the island.

On 8 August, China's military announced new military exercises around Taiwan. China announced an end to the exercises on 10 August, but also stated that regular "patrols" would be launched in the Taiwan Strait.