Taiwan claims China's deployment of warships in a new US strategic document may hint at a policy shift.

(Deutsche Welle) Taiwan said on Friday (December 5) that China has deployed warships to conduct "military operations" in waters spanning hundreds of kilometers from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea, posing a "threat" to the region.

Beijing has neither confirmed nor denied the operation.

Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui stated that the Ministry of National Defense and other security agencies are closely monitoring China's movements and have "full control of the situation."

Taiwan: Deployment numbers are "considerable," urging China to exercise restraint.

Guo Yahui did not specify the number of Chinese ships involved, but an unnamed security source told AFP that the number was "considerable."

Kuo Ya-hui stated that this operation is not limited to the Taiwan Strait , but extends to the southern Yellow Sea, the East China Sea near the Diaoyu Islands, the South China Sea, and even the western Pacific Ocean. It poses a threat and impact on the entire Indo-Pacific region.

Guo Yahui called on China to "exercise restraint," and stated, "The President has instructed the Ministry of National Defense and relevant national security agencies to have a complete grasp of the situation and provide timely reports. The nation's security is assured, and the people can rest assured. We are also confident that we can handle this well."

Neither the Chinese military nor Chinese state media have made any announcements or explanations regarding Taiwan's claim of "increased activity of Chinese warships in the relevant waters."

China responded, "Don't overinterpret."

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Jiang Bin said on Friday, in response to a question about a Chinese naval fleet that may be heading toward Australia, that the Chinese navy's training in international waters is in accordance with international law and "is not directed against any specific country or target."

A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that Beijing "has always pursued a defensive national defense policy" and urged "relevant parties not to make a fuss, over-interpret, or hype it up unnecessarily."

Taiwan's intelligence chief Tsai Ming-yen said on Wednesday that October to December is the "most intensive period" for China's "annual assessment exercises," and warned that the CCP may turn its seemingly routine military operations into exercises targeting Taiwan .

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported at 7 p.m. on Friday (11 p.m. GMT) that it had detected 24 Chinese military aircraft operating near the Taiwan Strait since 2:22 p.m., of which 19 crossed the median line of the strait and conducted joint combat patrols with naval vessels.

Last December, Taiwan claimed that approximately 90 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels participated in a large-scale military exercise, including drills simulating attacks on foreign ships and blocking waterways, reportedly one of Beijing's largest maritime exercises in recent years . Beijing did not confirm this at the time.

The new US strategic document calls on Japan and South Korea to assume more responsibility for Taiwan.

For a long time, the United States has been Taiwan’s most important security backer and largest arms supplier .

But the Trump administration released its national security strategy document on Friday. This document significantly adjusts America's global priorities in line with its "America First" worldview.

On the Taiwan issue, the document maintains the US position of "maintaining the status quo," but at the same time demands that Japan and South Korea, its two treaty allies, assume more responsibility for Taiwan's defense. This signals a possible adjustment in US policy toward Taiwan.

Criticism of European immigration policies and pledges not to expand NATO

It is worth noting that the document uses harsh language against Europe and supports the far-right claim that immigration will lead to the "death of civilization" in Europe.

The document describes the issue of nationality from a distinctly racial perspective, stating that some NATO countries are likely to see a "majority of non-European populations" in the coming decades.

The document calls for “building resistance forces” in Europe, a phrase that AFP commented is extremely rare in US statements to key allies.

The document also criticizes Europe for "censoring freedom of speech and suppressing political dissent," implicitly referring to Europe's restrictions on far-right, especially anti-immigrant, speech.

Furthermore, the document pledged not to expand NATO, further dashing Ukraine's hopes of joining the alliance as it suffers from a Russian invasion.