Beijing demands the immediate stop of American arms sales to Taiwan

The year 2026 promises to be highly tense. Far from being limited to Ukraine or the Middle East, instability is also spreading to Asia and Latin America. Between China and Taiwan, or Venezuela and its neighbors, sparks are multiplying. Several analysts fear that the great powers may enter into direct confrontation. The atmosphere is heavy, alliances are solidifying, arms are circulating. If nothing changes, the outbreak could well cease to be a mere hypothesis.

China: Military maneuvers that speak louder than words

Beijing no longer hides its anger, while some analysts, as early as January, already sensed a possible imminent invasion. After Washington announced a colossal arms deal worth 11.1 billion dollars for Taiwan, China responded with an unprecedented military deployment. Named “Justice Mission 2025”, these maneuvers saw the navy and aviation encircle the island, with 130 aircraft detected in less than 24 hours and more than a dozen missiles fired offshore.

Officially, the purpose is to test blockade and coordinated attack capabilities. Unofficially, it is a show of force. According to Shi Yi, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army, these exercises are a severe warning to separatist forces advocating Taiwan’s independence and to foreign powers.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned:

External forces attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and arm it will only encourage the arrogance of the separatists and push the Taiwan Strait toward a perilous situation of imminent war.

A war economy… for the economy as a whole

While military tension remains at the heart of current affairs, the stakes are also deeply economic. What sparked the powder keg? A massive arms deal. The United States approved in December an 11.1 billion dollar sale to Taiwan, including ATACMS missiles, drones, and HIMARS systems. A historic sale, perceived as a direct provocation by Beijing.

China’s response was swift: 20 American companies, including Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris, were targeted by immediate sanctions. Their assets are frozen in China, all cooperation is prohibited, and ten executives are now persona non grata in the territory.

Wang Yi, the head of Chinese diplomacy, cautioned bluntly that any attempt to hinder the unification of China with Taiwan was, in his view, doomed to fail.

But beyond the retaliation, Beijing is sending a strong strategic signal. The aim is to maintain constant pressure on Taiwan while testing the solidity of Western alliances.

In the background, it’s also the economic credibility of China at stake. Because an armed conflict in this area would endanger maritime routes essential to global trade. Once again, the economy becomes a weapon of massive deterrence.

Trump downplays risks, but Taipei is not fooled

While the world worries, Donald Trump tries to defuse the situation. The former American president, who maintains an ambivalent relationship with Beijing, stated:

I don’t think they will do it… They have been conducting naval exercises in this area for 20 years.

A way to trivialize the Chinese exercises around Taiwan. However, it is the first time that China has published an official map of air and maritime exclusion zones around the island. This step is seen as a clear escalation by Taipei, which has mobilized 14 ships to monitor Chinese movements.

On the ground, inhabitants show resilience. A merchant from Taipei explains that these exercises have become routine, given how much they have multiplied in recent years. Others, more worried, emphasize that it is no longer just a military posture, but a concrete demonstration of what a real blockade could look like.

Clearly, if Trump calms things down, the military reality is much more alarming.

What to remember (numbers & facts)

• $11.1 billion: record amount for US arms sales to Taiwan;
• 130 Chinese military aircraft detected around the island in 24 hours;
• 20 American companies hit by Beijing sanctions;
• 5 Chinese military blockade zones designated around Taiwan;
• 88,458 dollars: bitcoin price at the time of writing this article;

According to some geopolitical experts, China is inspired by the modus operandi of Russia in Ukraine. Rather than an immediate frontal war, it would develop a secret strategy mixing military pressure, informational destabilization, and the gradual isolation of the island. A long, discreet, but fearsomely effective tactic to impose its views… without firing a bullet.