Cadets gather during a media tour for an open day at the PLA Naval Submarine Academy, ahead of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, in Qingdao, Shandong province, China
L’Chinese army has started a new round of war exercises near Taiwanstating that it was a warning to the “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces”, and gave no date for their possible conclusion, drawing condemnation from the government of Taipei.
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Taiwangoverned democratically and considered by China a territory in its own right, was on alert for possible further war exercises after the speech given on October 10, 2024 by the president Lai Ching-te for the national day, a speech condemned by Beijing after Lai said China had no right to represent Taiwan, despite offering to cooperate with Beijing.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Army stated that the exercises “Joint Sword-2024B” are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and areas north, south and east of Taiwan. “The exercise also serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces. It is a legitimate and necessary operation to safeguard the sovereignty of the State and national unity”, the Chinese Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement released in both Chinese and English.
The command released a map showing nine areas around Taiwan where the exercises were taking place: two on the island’s east coast, three on the west coast, one in the north and three around Taiwan-controlled islands close to China’s coast. “Chinese ships and planes are approaching Taiwan “in close proximity from different directions”, focusing on sea-to-air combat readiness patrols, blockading ports and key areas, attacking sea and land targets, and “jointly taking global superiority,” the command stated.
However, it did not announce any live-fire drills or no-fly areas. In 2022, shortly after the then-Speaker of the US House visited Taiwan Nancy PelosiChina had launched missiles on the island.
According to Chinese state media reports, in rare operations the Chinese coast guard flew over Taiwan and organized patrols of “police” near the islands off the coast of Taiwan.
The Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan and China stated that: “…China’s latest war exercises and refusal to renounce the use of force were “blatant provocations” that have seriously undermined regional peace and stability.”
“Faced with additional political, military and economic threats posed by China to Taiwan in recent days, Taiwan will not back down,” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, which sets policies toward China, said in a statement. “President Lai has already expressed his goodwill in his National Day speech and is willing to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait together with the Chinese communists,” he added.
The first Chinese-built aircraft carrier, named Shandong, during the launching ceremony in Dalian, Liaoning province, China, April 26, 2017
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had sent its troops. “Lai’s speech for the national day highlighted the current state of relations between the two sides of the Strait and the firm will to safeguard peace and stability, hoping for future cooperation to face challenges such as climate change”, the ministry added. “The Chinese Communists’ claim of ‘picking fights and causing trouble’ is completely far from the truth,” he added.
A senior Taiwanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, said: “…believe that China is exercising a blockade of Taiwanese ports north and south of the island and international shipping lanes, as well as repelling the arrival of foreign forces.”
- Taiwan takes over Chinese aircraft carrier as China declares ‘battle ready’ in military video
Taiwan has reported the presence of a Chinese aircraft carrier group sailing towards the south of the island through the strategic Bashi Channelwhich separates Taiwan from the Philippines and connects the South China Sea to the Pacific. Since Thursday, Chinese state media has published a series of articles and commentaries denouncing Lai’s speech, and on Sunday the Eastern Theater Command released a video in which it claimed to be “ready for battle”amid concerns in Taipei about the possibility of a new round of Chinese war exercises. The People’s Liberation Army newspaper Liberation Army Daily wrote that “Whoever plays with fire gets burned!”. “As long as the provocations for Taiwan’s independence continue, the People’s Liberation Army’s actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop,” we read in the document.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the war games. The US said last week that China had no justification for using Lai’s national day speech as a pretext to apply military pressure.
China held the exercises “Joint Sword-2024A” for two days near Taiwan in May, shortly after Lai took office, saying they were ‘punishment’ for the separatist content expressed in his inaugural speech.
Lai repeatedly offered talks with China but was rebuffed. It claims that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future and rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.
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Angelo Martinengo.
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