# Taiwan Monitors Chinese Military Drills

> Taiwan says it will closely monitor Chinese live-fire drills this week amid tensions over Taiwan's status.
- Title: Taiwan Monitors Chinese Military Drills · The Japan Times
- Summary: Taiwan says it will closely monitor Chinese live-fire drills this week amid tensions over Taiwan's status. Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo states…
- Keywords: taiwan, china, plaa, military drills, defense minister, wellington koo, lai ching-te, news, politics, world, Monitors, Chinese
- Source: The Japan Times — https://japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/10/12/asia-pacific/taiwan-monitoring-china-drills
- Author: No Author
- Published: 2026-10-12T08:09:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: taiwan, china, plaa, military drills, defense minister, wellington koo, lai ching-te, news, politics, world
## Taiwanese Defense Minister
Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the island will monitor Chinese live-fire drills this week.
## China's Drills Start Thursday
China's Maritime Safety Administration announced no-sail notices for five areas starting Thursday, including waters near Taiwan.
## Drills Target Taiwan Coast
The closest drill area is off China's eastern province of Zhejiang, near Taiwan's coast.
## Koo's Monitoring Stance
Koo states the drills are coastal artillery exercises and Taiwan will monitor whether firing or military training occurs.
## Lai's National Day Speech
President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan cherishes peace but will not give up its freedom and that Taiwan's people decide their future.
## China Condemns Lai
China views Lai as a 'separatist' and has rebuffed his repeated offers of talks, condemning his National Day speech.
## China's Defense Ministry Statement
China's defense ministry says the drills deter 'Taiwan independence' moves and safeguard the Taiwanese people.
## U.S. Criticizes China
The U.S. State Department called China's maritime actions off Taiwan's east coast 'deeply destabilizing' and worsen tensions.
## Key takeaway

Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo states the island will monitor Chinese military drills this week as China views Taiwan as its territory.