The Vice Minister of Defense of Taiwan, Po Horng-huei, assured this Wednesday that the island’s armed forces are on alert against possible hostile actions by the Chinese regime prior to the inauguration ceremony of the elected president, William Lai ( Lai Ching-te), which will take place on May 20.
In statements to the media, Po assured that the island forces control “all intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information” in relation to possible military actions by Beijing during the coming days.
“Our country’s Army will comply with all combat readiness requirements before and after May 20 and will pay close attention to the actions of the Chinese Communist Party that harm regional peace and stability,” said the vice minister of Defense. according to the state news agency CNA.
Along these lines, Po stressed that the activities of the Chinese Army around the Taiwan Strait undermine the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific, turning the region into a “global concern.”
“The national Army does not fear war nor does it seek war,” Po stated.
Since the presidential elections on January 13, in which Lai – considered an “independence supporter” in the eyes of Beijing – won with 40% of the votes, Xi Jinping’s regime has intensified its pressure on Taiwan with various measures. , including the increase in Coast Guard patrols around the Kinmen Islands or the modification of several air routes through the strait.
The movements of Chinese planes and warships have also been constant in recent months: the Ministry of National Defense (MDN) of Taiwan notified this Wednesday of the presence of sixteen Chinese aircraft and six military ships around the island in the last 24 hours. , the second highest figure so far in May.
The Taiwan Coast Guard on Monday expelled four Chinese ships sailing near the Kinmen Islands, an archipelago under Taiwanese control located a few kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a statement that four Chinese vessels entered the “restricted waters” of the Kinmen around 3:30 p.m. (07:30 GMT) on Monday.
In response, the CGA “immediately” sent three patrol boats “to prevent the fleet from continuing sailing,” something it achieved around 4:37 p.m. (08:37 GMT), when the Chinese ships left the area.
The Taiwanese side indicated that this type of incursions “seriously damage peace and stability” on both sides of the strait, while urging the Chinese authorities to “immediately” stop this behavior and defend the “principle of reciprocity and mutual respect.” .
According to the statement, the CGA will continue to monitor the situation with detection and search teams “24 hours a day”, acting “firmly” to repel these incursions, carried out “at irregular intervals and without prior notice.”
“In terms of law enforcement, official ships of the continent that sail in our prohibited and restricted waters will be expelled to ensure the safety and order of navigation at sea,” stated the official text.
The tension around this archipelago, where around 100,000 Taiwanese live, skyrocketed on February 14, when a Chinese speedboat – which had no certificate, name or port registration number – entered the waters of the Kinmen and two of its four crew members died after a chase by the Taipei Coast Guard.
Taiwan – where the Chinese nationalist Kuomintang army withdrew after defeat by communist troops in the civil war – has been governed autonomously since 1949, although China claims sovereignty over the island, which it considers a rebellious province. for whose “reunification” he has not ruled out the use of force.
#Taiwan #raised #alert #levels #William #Lais #investiture #Daily #Page
