We are Not Scared of China - Taiwan

Despite large-scale Chinese military exercises taking place near Taiwan this week, daily life across the island has continued largely uninterrupted, according to reporting by Al Jazeera.

China conducted live-fire drills and simulated blockade operations around Taiwan as part of what it described as “Justice Mission 2025,” but residents interviewed said the exercises have become a familiar backdrop to everyday life.

In New Taipei City, retirees played mahjong, workers went about their routines, and businesses remained open as usual.

Several residents said they were aware of the drills but were not overly alarmed, saying repeated shows of force from Beijing over the years have made such events feel routine.

Information about the exercises circulated widely on Taiwanese television and social media, alongside reports of online disinformation. Taiwanese authorities dismissed a widely shared video showing an aircraft flying near Taipei 101 as fake.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly said it will use force if necessary to achieve unification. Beijing said the latest drills were a response to a recent United States arms package for Taiwan and were intended as a warning to pro-independence forces. The United States, while not formally recognising Taiwan, has pledged to assist in its defence under existing legislation.

Many Taiwanese believe economic factors, particularly the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to global supply chains, act as a deterrent against an outright attack. The company is often referred to locally as Taiwan’s “silicon shield.”

Taiwan is a sovereign, self-governing nation of around 23 million people, with its own elected government, democratic institutions and independent political system.

Polling over many years has consistently shown that an overwhelming majority of Taiwanese citizens reject unification with China and prefer to maintain their current system of self-rule.