Bosphorus Flood 2025/A

“Strait Thunder-2025A,” launched on 1 April 2025 around Taiwan by People's Republic of China, is the codename for a multifaceted military exercise. The exercise was conducted under the coordinated efforts of black, sea, air and rocket forces in line with China’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan.

Chinese military exercise around Taiwan, 1 April 2025 – Anadolu Agency

Nature and Operational Content of the Exercise

The exercise was managed by the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army of China. Simulated scenarios included naval-air battle preparation, attacks on land and maritime targets, encirclement of lock regions and control of sea lanes, carried out simultaneously in the northern southern and eastern sectors of the Taiwan Strait.

On the second day of the exercise, the Chinese military conducted live-fire drills in the East China Sea with long-range munitions. These strikes targeted port and energy facilities as part of the simulation. China’s Shandong airplane carrier group also conducted a presence operation off the eastern coast of Taiwan, implementing “multidimensional blockades” based on coordination between naval and air assets.

The primary tactics employed during the exercise included air interdiction, precision strikes, electronic warfare support and integrated joint command and control place. China’s defense sources stated that the exercise aimed to “test the forces’ capacity for integrated joint operations, operational control and directed intervention.”

Taiwan’s Military and Institutional Responses

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense announced that during the exercise, 76 Chinese war aircraft and 19 warships operated around Taiwan. Of the aircraft, 37 crossed the unofficial median line of the Taiwan Strait, while the Shandong aircraft carrier entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.

Taiwan activated its air defense systems, deployed naval units and triggered land-based missile systems in response. The Ministry of National Defense stated that defense readiness had been heightened and continuous monitoring was being conducted around Island.

Propaganda Materials and Political Statements

During the exercise, official Chinese institutions released visual and digital content conveying various messages to the Taiwanese administration. These materials featured portrayals targeting Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and visual narratives aligned with the exercise scenarios. Videos and posters depicted simulations of Taiwan’s encirclement, strikes on military targets and the neutralization of infrastructure.

International Reactions

The exercise was criticized by various international actors, notably the United States and the Europe Union. In a statement issued by the USA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China’s military activities around Taiwan were characterized as an “attempt at unilateral change of status,” with a declaration of support for preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The European Union similarly affirmed its position in favor of maintaining the current status quo in the Taiwan Strait and stated its opposition to any change in status through coercion or force.

Background and Previous Exercises

The “Strait Thunder-2025A” exercise is part of a series of large-scale military activities conducted by China around Taiwan in recent years. Following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022, after contacts between then-Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen and the United States in 2023, and after the inauguration of new president Lai Ching-te in 2024, similar-scale “Joint Sword” joint exercises were carried out.

The Chinese government defines Taiwan as its own territory and does not rule out the use of force to achieve this objective. Taiwan, meanwhile, maintains its de facto independence and asserts that only the people of the island may determine its future. This situation has led to regular escalations of military tension in the Taiwan Strait.