| CHINA: 'DRILLS SERVE AS A STRONG PUNISHMENT': China pulled out all the stops today as it concluded two days of military drills that looked to all the world like a dress rehearsal for an invasion or blockade of Taiwan as Beijing continues to vow to bring what it considers a renegade province under Chinese rule by force if necessary. The point of the exercise, which involved land, sea, and air forces that surrounded the island and conducted mock attacks, was also unambiguous, namely to impress upon Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, that any move toward independence would be crushed by China's military might. "The drills also serve as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence' forces and a stern warning against the interference and provocation by external forces," Li Xi, a spokesman for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, said yesterday. "The military drills around Taiwan aim to crack down on the arrogance of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and deter the interference and intervention of external forces," China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesman Senior Col. Wu Qian said today. "Taiwan is China’s Taiwan, and how to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for over 1.4 billion Chinese people. … Our countermeasures will advance one step further until the complete reunification of the motherland is realized." TAIWAN WISHES BIDEN AND TRUMP 'ALL THE BEST' BEFORE SUMMER CAMPAIGN KICKOFFS PENTAGON: ‘A PRETEXT FOR ESCALATION': In his inaugural address on Monday, Lai, who goes by William, called on the Chinese to "cease their political and military intimidation against Taiwan" while pledging to work for peace. "I hope that China will face the reality of the Republic of China's existence, respect the choices of the people of Taiwan, and in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation, exchange over containment, and under the principles of parity and dignity, engage in cooperation with the legal government chosen by Taiwan's people," Lai said. "Our government will … neither yield nor provoke and maintain the status quo." Earlier this week, the Pentagon urged China "not to use the election as a pretext for escalation," citing China’s recent pressure tactics against Taiwan specifically and the South China Sea generally. "We remain concerned about those kinds of activities. We’ve raised that directly with the PRC," Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday. "Ultimately, at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to be committed to work to ensure that Taiwan maintains a sufficient self-defense capability in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act." "It’s an unnecessary provocation. It’s aggression. It’s saber-rattling that basically could lead to dangerous escalation into unintended consequences and disastrous ones," Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), ranking member of the House special committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said on CNN. "That’s why I believe that as William Lai said, the president of Taiwan, we should stick to the status quo … and so we strongly counsel the PRC and the Chinese Communist Party to do the same." WHOSE SEA IS IT ANYWAY? CHINA'S EXPANSIVE MARITIME CLAIMS COULD BE THE SPARK THAT IGNITES A WAR CHINA'S PLAYBOOK: Given the challenge of invading and occupying Taiwan, many military experts think China will try to strangle Taiwan slowly, or as Foreign Affairs put it in a headline this week: "Squeeze, not seize, Taiwan." Retired Australian army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan said he sees direct parallels in the map China's Defense Ministry released outlining this week's drill and a fictional map Ryan included in his novel imagining future war with China: White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan, which features a scenario in which China's PLA uses its large annual exercises as cover for an operation against Taiwan. "With large exercises like this, the PLA gets three strategic returns," Ryan said in a post on X. "Normalies large-scale activity around Taiwan, to deceive about future intentions, Bullies and seeks to coerce the democratic government of Taiwan, and Projects an air of "inevitability" to the region/world about its eventual takeover of Taiwan." "Of course it is not inevitable," Ryan said. "But CCP is using the same propaganda playbook as Putin in Ukraine." SUBTLE AND NOT-SO-SUBTLE MESSAGES IN CHINA'S MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR TAIWAN Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Stacey Dec. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE NOTE TO READERS: There will be no Daily on Defense in your inbox on Monday, May 27, as we observe the Memorial Day federal holiday. We'll be back on Tuesday, May 28. HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gives the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy's Class of 2024 graduation and commissioning ceremony in Annapolis at 10 a.m. Austin's remarks will be livestreamed by the Pentagon. TOMORROW: President Joe Biden will give the commencement speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his first as president. His remarks to roughly 1,000 cadets and soon-to-be Army second lieutenants at West Point's Michie Stadium will be streamed by C-SPAN. Donald Trump was the last president to speak at a West Point commencement in 2020, while Biden gave the commencement speech twice as vice president. MORE UKRAINE AID: Now that Ukraine aid is fully funded, the Biden administration is planning a steady stream of regular announcements of the latest aid package. Today, it's expected the Pentagon will announce $275 million in mostly desperately needed ammunition as Ukraine is losing ground to Russian forces in the north. "The package includes high mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, munitions as well 155 mm and 105 mm high-demand artillery rounds," the Associated Press reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials. "Additional items in the aid package include Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, anti-tank mines, tactical vehicles, small arms, and ammunition for those weapons," one of the officials said. IS BLINKEN ON BOARD? At this week's House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had little to say, while Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) complained bitterly about Biden's ban on the use of U.S.-supplied weapons by Ukraine to strike into Russian territory in self-defense. "Your administration is tying their hands behind their back," he fumed. But the New York Times's David Sanger is reporting that, behind the scenes, Blinken is backing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plea to take the gloves off. "Propelled by the State Department, there is now a vigorous debate inside the administration over relaxing the ban to allow the Ukrainians to hit missile and artillery launch sites just over the border in Russia," Sanger reported Thursday. "The proposal, pressed by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken after a sobering visit to Kyiv last week, is still in the formative stages, and it is not clear how many of his colleagues among Mr. Biden's inner circle have signed on." In his Senate testimony on Wednesday, Blinken repeated an ambiguous statement he has made previously. "When it comes to enabling, endorsing attacks outside of Ukraine," Blinken said, "that’s not something we’ve done, but Ukraine will have to make, and will make, its own decisions." JOHNSON INVITES NETANYAHU: In a speech last night marking Israel's independence, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress. "Tonight, I'm happy to announce something else to you: that we will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress," Johnson said at the event hosted by the Israeli Embassy. "This will be a timely and, I think, a very strong show of support to the Israeli government in their time of greatest need." Johnson did not give a date. MORE HOSTAGE BODIES RECOVERED: The Israel Defense Forces said today that the bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct. 7 have been recovered in Gaza. "Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez were murdered during the October 7 Massacre and were abducted to Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Their bodies were rescued overnight during a joint IDF and ISA operation in Jabaliya, and brought back to Israel," the IDF said in a statement posted on X. The three are believed to have been killed on Oct. 7 and their bodies taken into Gaza. It's believed that there are as many as 100 hostages still alive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more. ISRAEL 'STRENGTHENING EFFORT AGAINST RAFAH' AFTER TALKS WITH JAKE SULLIVAN THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Whose sea is it anyway? China's expansive maritime claims could be the spark that ignites a war Washington Examiner: Analysis: Subtle and not-so-subtle messages in China's military exercises near Taiwan Washington Examiner: Hamas and Putin believe they can wait out US to achieve goals, envoy warns Washington Examiner: Israel 'strengthening effort against Rafah' after talks with Jake Sullivan Washington Examiner: Taiwan wishes Biden and Trump 'all the best' before summer campaign kickoffs Washington Examiner: Biden defends not sending troops to control Haiti gang violence Washington Examiner: Senate votes down failed border deal in face of bipartisan opposition Washington Examiner: The Biden effect? Border Patrol has lost a quarter of workforce since 2020 election Washington Examiner: Opinion: Macron shows Biden how to deal with Russian nuclear blackmail Washington Examiner: Cassidy launches investigation into Chinese-owned tutoring service with DOD contract Washington Examiner: Fani Willis appeals judge's dismissal of charges in Trump election interference case Washington Examiner: Trump claims Evan Gershkovich will be released 'almost immediately' after November election Washington Examiner: Bipartisan lawmakers push plans to beef up naval investments Washington Examiner: House introduces legislation to allow airmen and Space Force Guardians to grow beards Washington Examiner: Soldiers place flags at Arlington National Cemetery to honor fallen heroes Reuters: China’s Second Day Of War Games Around Taiwan Tests Ability To ‘Seize Power’ AP: Putin arrives in neighboring Belarus for a two-day visit with a key ally Wall Street Journal: Russian Military Purge Reaches Fourth Top Official AP: Norway further tightens its restrictions on the entry of Russians New York Times: Advancing Russian Troops Threaten to Reverse Some of Ukraine's Hard-Won Gains Air & Space Forces Magazine: First Ukrainian Pilots Graduate US F-16 Training Foreign Affairs: How China Will Squeeze, Not Seize, Taiwan New York Times: U.S. Military Faces Reality In Gaza As Aid Project Struggles Air Force Times: House Proposal Could Derail Air Force Plan to Move Space Guard Units Stars and Stripes: House panel advances defense bill with 20% pay raise for junior troops, quality-of-life improvements Air & Space Forces Magazine: House Panel Adds More New Test F-35s to NDAA Defense One: Lawsuit Alleges Contractors Lied About V-22's Safety Air & Space Forces Magazine: Melissa Dalton Confirmed as New Air Force Undersecretary Air & Space Forces Magazine: Lawmakers Move to Bulk Up Oversight of Sentinel ICBM, But Reject Attempts to Curb Program Breaking Defense: Boeing KC-46A Refueler Had Two-Month Pause in Deliveries, Expected to Resume Soon Defense News: Replicator Drones Already Being Delivered, Pentagon Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: USAF Aid Airdrops to Gaza to Continue Even as US Pier Opens DefenseScoop: 'This Is Overdue'—Air Force Creating Tactical Cyber Capabilities to Ensure Air Superiority SpaceNews: US Seeks Bids from Satellite Manufacturers for Military Space Test Program AP: Explorers discover possible wreckage of World War II ace Richard Bong's plane in South Pacific THE CALENDAR: FRIDAY | MAY 24 10 a.m. Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland — U.S. Naval Academy 2024 commencement ceremony with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivering the commencement address TUESDAY | MAY 28 4 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual and in-person book discussion: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, with author David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for the New York Times, and Seth Jones, CSIS senior vice president https://www.csis.org/events/chinas-rise-russias-invasion | | | | "The military drills around Taiwan aim to crack down on the arrogance of 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and deter the interference and intervention of external forces, which are completely reasonable, lawful, legitimate, and necessary." | | Senior Col. Wu Qian, spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, on Friday |
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