While on Taiwan Talks, Riley Walters explains that joint military drills are primarily a Beijing-led initiative to test regional reactions, threaten Japanese territorial authority, and project power in the Pacific. He notes China’s grey-zone maneuvers justify Tokyo’s defense modernization and risk escalating a potential Taiwan scenario into a broader global conflict.
Caption
A production line of the Glide, a high-altitude glider that delivers munitions across thousands of miles, is seen at the defense tech startup Mach Industries in Huntington Beach, California, on September 11, 2025. (Getty Images)