Chinese carrier drills and stepped-up incursions into Taiwan's air defense zone in recent weeks are meant to send a message to Washington to stand down and back off, security sources in Taipei say.
The increased activity — which China, unusually, described as "combat drills" on Wednesday — has raised alarm in both Taipei and Washington, though security officials do not see it as a sign of an imminent attack.
Rather, according to an official familiar with Taiwan's security planning, at least some of the exercises are practicing "access denial" maneuvers to prevent foreign forces from coming to Taipei's defense in a war.