Taipei/Hong Kong CNN —Multiple formations of Chinese naval and coast guard vessels are moving in waters around the Taiwan Strait and the Western Pacific, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Monday, as the island braces for potential military drills by Beijing. Taiwan’s armed forces had identified Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) vessels from the Eastern, Northern, and Southern Theater Command, as well as Coast Guard vessels entering the areas, the ministry said in statement. A senior Taiwan official told CNN that China’s current naval deployment is larger than those in its two previous rounds of military drills around the island earlier this year. In May, days after Lai’s inauguration, China launched two days of large-scale military drills surrounding Taiwan in what it called “punishment” for so-called “separatist acts.” It called those drills “Joint Sword-2024A.”China then conducted “Joint-Sword-2024B” drills in October, after Lai said during a National Day address that the island was “not subordinate” to China. The latest military movement by China appears to differ from those two drills, the Taiwan official noted.

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Persons: Lai Ching, ”, China’s, “, that’s, Lai, ’, Mao Ning, ” Lai, Palau –, Lai’s, Lou Leon Guerrero, Mike Johnson Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Taiwan’s Defense, Liberation Army, PLA, Southern Theater Command, Guard, Communist Party, Taiwan, CNN, “, Foreign Ministry, US Locations: Taipei, Hong Kong, Taiwan Strait, Pacific, Beijing, Northern, Taiwan, Hawaii, Guam, China, Washington, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Zhejiang, Fujian, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Palau, United States