Taiwan's Defense Ministry has reported an unprecedented deployment of Chinese naval forces in regional waters, marking the largest operation of its kind in nearly 30 years. The scale of the deployment, spanning from Japan’s southern islands to the South China Sea, poses a significant threat to Taiwan, defense officials said Tuesday.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang described the operation as surpassing previous Chinese war games in magnitude, comparing it to military exercises conducted by China in 1996 ahead of Taiwan’s presidential elections. "Regardless of whether they have announced drills, they are posing a great threat to us," Sun said at a press conference in Taipei.

The ministry noted that over 90 Chinese naval and coast guard ships were operating in the region. While there have been no live-fire drills in the seven airspace zones reserved by China — two of which are in the Taiwan Strait — there has been a significant uptick in Chinese military activity north of Taiwan.

Senior intelligence officer Hsieh Jih-sheng added that China is creating strategic "walls" in the Pacific, aiming to turn the Taiwan Strait into an "internal sea" under Beijing's control.

Taiwan's military also reported 47 Chinese military aircraft operating near the island in the past 24 hours, with some simulating attacks on foreign naval ships and conducting "blockade exercises."

"China’s actions are not just aimed at Taiwan but at other countries in the region as well," Hsieh said, highlighting the broader implications of China’s aggressive maneuvers within the First Island Chain, a strategic area encompassing Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo.

China's military actions come amid heightened tensions following Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent Pacific tour, which included stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. Beijing views such visits as provocative, asserting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory. Lai’s administration firmly rejects these claims, maintaining that Taiwan's future should be determined solely by its people.

China has not officially commented on the naval activities or confirmed ongoing exercises, but it has held two major war games near Taiwan earlier this year.

As regional tensions rise, Taiwan's defense officials continue to monitor Chinese movements closely, warning of the growing threat posed by Beijing’s expanding military presence.