In response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Aug. 2-3, China announced live-fire drills that began on Aug. 2 and would expand to six areas in the waters around Taiwan from Aug. 4-7. These areas are concentrated around Taiwan's key ports and in regional trade thoroughfares, like the Taiwan Strait and Luzon Strait, and effectively bar maritime and air traffic. They are also closer to Taiwan (with some areas just 10 miles — 16 kilometers — away from the coast) than the last time China launched similar drills in 1995-1996. Their geographic placement is intended to warn Taiwan of the economic pain China could impose if the United States, Japan and Taiwan continue to contravene Beijing's sovereignty claims over Taiwan. In future crises, Beijing could impose an unofficial blockade on Taiwan's ports by expanding the geographic area and/or duration of such live-fire drills, which would not only threaten to crater the Taiwanese economy but also impede some of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
