Chinese President Xi Jinping declared on November 12, 2026, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing that the complete reunification of Taiwan with China must and will be realized

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China claims nearly the entire South China Sea and has constructed artificial islands within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines

Beijing routinely opposes joint military exercises between the Philippines and its international partners, asserting that such joint activities heighten regional tensions

Australia supports the 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling that China's sweeping South China Sea claims have no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects while maintaining its actions are lawful

In July, China's ministry of foreign affairs rebuked Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong after she warned Beijing against destabilising regional conduct

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the ASEAN summit in Manila ahead of planned meetings with US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang

Philippine officials said Chinese Premier Li Qiang will represent China in meetings with ASEAN leaders on Monday, November 16, 2026, but will depart before U.S. President Donald Trump arrives

The Quad alliance of Indo-Pacific nations is widely viewed as a counterweight to China's growing regional influence, though its member states maintain the grouping does not target any specific nation

The White House confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump does not have a separate one-on-one bilateral meeting scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip to China for the APEC summit

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that effective 21st-century arms control must include China due to the size and growth of Beijing's nuclear arsenal

Beijing has historically resisted joining nuclear arms control talks with Washington and Moscow, arguing that the United States and Russia hold far larger nuclear arsenals

China maintains an estimated stockpile of over 600 nuclear warheads, which U.S. officials project could expand to 1,000 warheads by 2030

The trilateral summit among Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping is scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2026, following Trump's bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping

A senior Taiwan security official noted that China's coordinated multi-command drills indicated preparations for broader operations across the western Pacific and a Taiwan blockade scenario

Taiwanese security officials characterized China's unannounced November 2026 military drills as a campaign of 'silent intimidation' designed to pressure Taiwan and foreign governments without triggering formal alarms

Beijing is scheduled to host the APEC leaders' summit in Shenzhen, where U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet

Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo stated that China carried out 'area denial' drills in the western Pacific involving an aircraft carrier and associated naval formations

Taiwan National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu detailed on November 12, 2026, that Chinese theatre command groups and the Liaoning carrier strike group were operating east of the Philippines

China's government stated that its Liaoning aircraft carrier was engaged in routine exercises not directed at any country

Chinese state-backed newspaper Global Times reported on November 13, 2026, that Taiwan's ruling party would face a harsh reckoning if it persists in seeking independence through external military support

Taiwan is also scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit hosted in Shenzhen