BEIJING/TAIPEI — On Friday (Dec 13), China's Ministry of Defense broke its silence regarding recent military activities near Taiwan, stating that it is China's decision whether to conduct drills, and that the military will "not be absent" in combating separatist forces.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense had raised an alert and activated an emergency response center on Monday following an increase in Chinese military activity around the island and in the East and South China Seas.

China's military did not officially announce any drills. Beijing considers Taiwan, which is governed democratically, as part of its territory—a claim rejected by the government in Taipei, which maintains that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.

In response to a question regarding Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's visits to Hawaii and Guam, China's Ministry of Defense neither confirmed nor denied conducting drills but quoted the ancient military strategist Sun Zi, saying, "Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions," implying that war conditions are unpredictable and always changing.

The ministry further stated, "Whether or not to hold exercises and when to hold them is a matter for us to decide on our own according to our own needs and the situation of the struggle." It added, "Regardless of whether or not exercises are held, the People's Liberation Army will not be absent and will not be soft in its fight against independence and for reunification."

The statement also warned that any reliance on "foreign forces to seek independence"—a message aimed at the United States—would face severe consequences and is "doomed to failure." China had previously conducted two rounds of military drills near Taiwan this year, the most recent in October in response to Lai's National Day, which it described as a warning to "separatist acts" and promised further action if necessary.

Security sources had anticipated that China might hold drills in response to Lai's visit to the U.S. and to send a message to the incoming Trump administration about China's red lines. On Thursday, the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan stated that while Chinese military activity in the region had increased, it did not view it as a response to Lai's U.S. visit.

Later that day, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense announced it had disbanded its emergency response center, signaling the end of the latest round of Chinese military activity. On Friday morning, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported observing 12 Chinese military aircraft in the area over the past 24 hours, down from 34 the previous day.

Taiwan's Coast Guard also reported that nine Chinese coast guard ships, which had been operating off the island's southeast and southwest coasts, had moved north after engaging in "undue" activities in recent days. They also released images and video showing their ships shadowing Chinese vessels off Taiwan's east coast in rough seas and overcast skies.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters