On Thursday, Taiwan’s navy conducted a simulation aimed at repelling enemy vessels, concluding three days of New Year exercises. The operation featured two of its latest and most sophisticated warships leading a flotilla into the Taiwan Strait.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, routinely deploys its air force and navy in the vicinity of the island, a strategy that the Taipei government describes as a continuous pressure campaign.

Last year, China also executed two significant military exercises around Taiwan.

At the Zuoying naval base located in Kaohsiung, two Tuo Chiang-class corvettes were joined by four smaller Kuang Hua VI-class missile boats in a drill designed to simulate the approach of hostile ships. “When we identify a target at sea that continues to close in, this is our response,” stated navy Captain Chen Ming-feng during a press briefing at the base.

The domestically produced Tuo Chiang corvettes have earned the nickname “aircraft carrier killer” due to their arsenal of anti-ship missiles, along with the capability to carry Sky Sword anti-aircraft missiles. Featuring a catamaran design, these advanced, highly maneuverable stealth vessels are engineered to engage larger warships while operating near Taiwan’s coastline.

Taiwan’s naval forces are significantly outmatched by China’s, which boasts three aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and a fleet of hundreds of additional warships.

Taiwan’s air force showcased its Patriot ground-to-air missiles and Ching-kuo Indigenous Defence Fighters to reporters during drills that commenced on Tuesday. Taiwan firmly opposes Beijing’s assertions of sovereignty, asserting that the future of the island should be determined solely by its residents.