TAIPEI—China has sent some of its largest swarms of jet fighters and warships into the air and waters around Taiwan this month.
They have been accompanied by an unusual silence.
While previous Chinese drills of similar scale were paired with waves of propaganda meant to intimidate the self-ruled island, Beijing has said next to nothing about the recent exercises.
That silence is a sign that the recent activity is less about delivering a political message, Taiwanese authorities and defense analysts say, than about training. China’s military is trying to sharpen its ability to encircle Taiwan, neutralize the island’s natural advantages and block the U.S. from coming to the rescue in the event of an invasion. Communist Party leaders in Beijing regard Taiwan as part of China and have vowed to take control of it, by force if necessary.