Shandong aircraft carrier moves into Taiwan response zone ahead of PLA drills

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched joint exercises around Taiwan on April 1, 2025, marking Beijing’s latest warning to “separatist forces” on the island. According to a statement by the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, the patrols and exercises included simulated air and land strikes, as well as control of key passages to test the joint combat readiness of its troops.