On August 28, the Orient Shield joint military exercise between the U.S. and Japanese armies officially began in Kyushu, Japan. This is the largest joint field operation in both countries' history. China's recent intensification of military exercises around Taiwan has exacerbated Japan's security concerns. During the Chinese military exercise on August 4th, the Chinese military launched 11 missiles, five of which fell into Japan's exclusive economic zone, which aroused strong condemnation from Japan. This incident also made the Japanese people more aware of the risk of Japan being involved in the conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
On August 28th, two guided-missile cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville crossed the Taiwan Strait. This is the first time the US military has crossed the Taiwan Strait since the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and the timing is quite sensitive. Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, told CNN on the 28th that the warship's passage through the Taiwan Strait sent a "very clear" signal. This voyage was planned long ago, and is very much in line with the one-China policy of the US, as well as the desire of the US to continue working towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In view of the increasingly frequent military activities of the Chinese Communist Party in
the East China Sea and around Taiwan, the US and Japan held the annual Orient Shield Joint
Military Exercise in Kyushu, Japan from August 28th to demonstrate the strength of their land
warfare. On August 28th, the US 7th Fleet also announced that two missile cruisers passed
through the Taiwan Strait to carry out routine tasks. Military experts pointed out that compared
to previous rounds, the two ships that traversed the strait were more powerful with a clear purpose
of countering the CCP. Joint US-Japan Orient Shield Military Exercises to Exhibit Land Warfare
Capabilities to Deter the CCP. On August 28th, the Orient Shield Joint Military Exercise between the
US and Japanese armies officially began in Kyushu, Japan. This is the largest joint field operation
in both countries' history. At the opening ceremony, Major General J.B. Vowell, US Army-Japan
Command, re-emphasized the importance of the US-Japan partnership to regional security.
For over 70 years, Japanese and Americans have enjoyed a close friendship and a lasting peace.
Our partnership serves as the key to integrated deterrence and regional security
here on the knife's edge of freedom. I am looking forward to building on our training and readiness
and improving our friendship along the way during this exercise.
On the day of the exercise, the US Army used the Javelin Missile for the first time in Japan for
live fire. The Javelin Missile, dubbed the Chariot Killer, is an anti-armor missile
carried by infantry and fired over the shoulder that automatically tracks targets and destroys
tanks. Made by contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, the US Javelin Missile has enough
firepower to pierce tank armor from 2.5 kilometers away. In the Russian-Ukrainian war,
the Javelin Missile is a weapon that represents the US assistance to Ukraine and is playing a
major role on the battlefield. According to the Japanese media Sankai Shimbun, the Japanese
Ground Self-Defense Force conducted live-fire exercises using the Type 1 Light Anti-Tank
Missile. This is a Japanese version of the Javelin Missile. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force hopes
to demonstrate its superiority in land combat through the exercise in order to keep the Chinese
Communist Party in check. About 700 US troops and 1,400 Japanese troops participated in this joint
military exercise, with a total of 2,100 people participating. As planned, the military exercise
will continue until September 9th. Following Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, two US heavyweight
warships crossed the Taiwan Strait for the first time. On August 28th, two guided missile cruisers,
the USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville, crossed the Taiwan Strait. This is the first time the US
military has crossed the Taiwan Strait since the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi
visited Taiwan, and the timing is quite sensitive. Kirby, the White House National Security Council
spokesman, told CNN on the 28th that the warship's passage through the Taiwan Strait sent a very
clear signal. This voyage was planned long ago and is very much in line with the one-China policy
of the US, as well as the desire of the US to continue working towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Very clear message. Very consistent message, Jim. That is that the United States Navy, the United
States military will sail, fly, and operate wherever international law permits us to do so.
Experts judge that the US sent powerful warships at this time as a countermeasure against the
large-scale military exercises of the CCP. Su Ju-in, Director of Strategy at the Taiwan National
Defense Academy, analyzed, In response to the passage of US warships across the Taiwan Strait,
the Chinese military claimed to be on high alert. In fact, after the CCP conducted large-scale
military exercises around Taiwan in early August, military harassment against Taiwan has continued.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense stated on August 29th that as of 5pm local time,
37 Chinese fighter jets and 8 Chinese warships had been detected and are continuing to operate
in the sea and airspace around Taiwan. Among them, 12 sorties crossed the middle line of the Strait.
The Taiwan military is closely monitoring and responding with military aircraft,
ship-to-ship, and land-based missile systems. Since Pelosi's visit to Taiwan,
the CCP has continued to conduct large-scale military exercises around the Taiwan Strait,
clamoring to normalize military exercises and threatening international shipping lanes.
On the US side, lawmakers or government officials continue to visit Taiwan.
