China conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan and its outlying islands on Monday, labelling it a warning against Taiwanese independence.
China’s Defense Ministry stated that the drills were a response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s refusal to recognize Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China under Communist Party rule.
These exercises occurred four days after Taiwan celebrated its government’s founding, during which President Lai Ching-te asserted that China has no right to represent Taiwan and vowed to resist any annexation or encroachment.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry labeled the drills as provocative and stated its forces were ready to respond. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Presidential Office urged China to halt military actions that threaten regional peace, stability, and Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.
Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s security council at a forum in Taipei, stated, “Our military will definitely deal with the threat from China appropriately.
“Threatening other countries with force violates the basic spirit of the United Nations Charter to resolve disputes through peaceful means.”
A map broadcasted on China’s state television CCTV depicted six large zones surrounding Taiwan, indicating the locations of ongoing military drills, with additional circles around Taiwan’s outlying islands.
Navy Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesperson for the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, announced that the navy, army, air force, and missile corps were all mobilized for the exercises.
Xi stated, in a statement on the service’s public media channel, “This is a major warning to those who back Taiwan independence and a signifier of our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty.”
In 2022, China conducted extensive military exercises around Taiwan following Nancy Pelosi’s brief visit to the island, simulating a blockade. China consistently asserts that Taiwan independence is futile and that annexation by Beijing is an unavoidable historical outcome.
Frances Ibiefo
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