Well, that didn’t take long. After the US pulled out of Afghanistan in a most humiliating way, China stepped up its game by threatening Taiwan. On Tuesday, the Peoples’ Liberation Army held assault drills off Taiwan’s coast. The PLA claimed the drills were a response to “external interference” and “provocations.”

It’s not the first time that China has buzzed Taiwan, but coming on the heels of the Afghanistan disaster, Beijing sees fragility. And in classic Chinese “wolf warrior” mode, they’re on the hunt for weaker prey.