Taiwan's Coast Guard stated that Chinese attempts to harass ships at sea through radio communications violate international law and undermine regional peace and stability

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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 United States military stated that U.S. forces have cleared the main maritime transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz of sea mines

The United States military established a naval blockade on Iranian ports and provides military support to commercial tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz

On November 13, 2026, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy reported that two oil tankers, one a supertanker, exploded and caught fire after striking sea mines during unauthorized Strait of Hormuz transit with positioning systems deactivated

On November 13, 2026, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps released video footage showing smoke rising from a liquefied gas vessel that allegedly struck a mine in the southern Strait of Hormuz

The International Maritime Organization recorded 136 maritime security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and wider Middle East between March 1 and November 11, 2026, peaking at 35 in October 2026

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari stated that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are raising global energy, transport, and insurance costs while threatening food security

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is approximately 65 percent below pre-war levels as of November 2026

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari reported that at least 25 seafarers were killed in and around the Strait of Hormuz between February 2026 and November 11, 2026

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