International Analysis

100+ China Ships: QUAD Navies Launch MALABAR as Taiwan Flags Massive Surge Across First Island Chain

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Quad members Japan, Australia, India and the US have kicked off Exercise Malabar 2026 in the waters near Japan, just as China has deployed more than 100 naval and coast guard vessels across the First Island Chain. This year’s iteration of the Quad’s annual naval exercise will focus on finding, tracking and attacking enemy submarines and warships. Meanwhile, the Chinese surge includes two carrier groups — Liaoning and Fujian — operating in the South China Sea and east of Taiwan, adding to growing concern over Beijing’s ability to apply simultaneous pressure across multiple theaters. In this episode, we examine what Malabar reveals about Quad military cooperation, China’s latest 100-plus vessel deployment, and what the Democratic Party’s sweep of the US midterm elections could mean for the security of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region. *Recorded on November 5, 2026 at 4pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Planner: Miguel Yang Consultant: Max Yu Videographer: Celest Kao Our guests: Tony Hu - Former US Department of Defense Senior Director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia Chenlung Kuo - United Daily News Deputy Editor-in-Chief James Fanell - Retired US Navy Captain