Taiwan sees spike in PLA military activity as island stages defence drills

Taiwan has reported an increase in activity by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) near the self-ruled island over the past four days, as its own military conducted a series of live-fire drills to test its amphibious defences. The island’s defence ministry on May 15, 2025, reported 29 aircraft and nine vessels operating near the island in the 24 hours from 6am on May 14. Taiwan continued with a third day of tests of its counter-landing and long-range precision strike abilities, and tested, for the first time, the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars).