EPAChina on Monday conducted new military exercises off the coast of Taiwan in what it described as “punishment” for President William Lai’s speech in which he vowed to “oppose annexation” or “infringement of our sovereignty”.
China claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan as its own and President Xi Jinping has vowed to retake the island by force if necessary.
Taiwan said it detected 34 naval vessels and 125 aircraft forming around the island on Monday.
Maps released by Chinese state media show that its forces have been deployed around the entire island.
The Chinese military said the ongoing exercises involve all units of the People’s Liberation Army and are designed to simulate an attack on Taiwan by land, sea and air. Are not.
In response, Taiwan President William Lai said some of the island’s forces had been deployed to monitor the situation and were “holding position”.
Taiwan’s airports and ports continue to operate normally.
An earlier statement by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense condemned China’s move and said its priority was to avoid direct clashes that could further escalate tensions. Outlying islands were placed on high alert, it added.
China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it had simulated military attacks and port blockades, and described Taiwanese independence as “incompatible” with peace in the region.
A post by the Chinese coast guard on its weibo account later noted that the patrol route was heart-shaped.
China Coast GuardChina has held several major military exercises off the coast of Taiwan since 2022, and its warplanes regularly fly into Taiwanese airspace.
The latest exercise was dubbed Joint Sword 2024-B by Beijing and has been widely anticipated since May, when the exercise bearing the same name and officially labeled Part A was held.
That exercise, described by China as its largest ever, coincided with the inauguration of President Lai, whom Beijing has long considered a pro-independence “troublemaker” of Taiwan.
His latest comments made on Taiwan’s National Day were condemned by China, which said he was increasing tensions with “sinister intentions”.
But while these exercises are widely anticipated, if you look at the deployment and the closeness of Chinese ships and aircraft to Taiwan – as well as the fiery rhetoric – this is very aggressive behavior.
In any other context, this would have been seen as a dramatic escalation – but it took place against a backdrop of already high tensions.
The United States responded by saying there was no legitimate reason for the exercises after Lai’s “routine” speech and that China should avoid further actions that could endanger peace and stability in the region.
The recent history of China militarily threatening Taiwan dates back to 1996, after Taiwan held its first direct presidential election. China declared off-limits areas around Taiwan and fired short-range ballistic missiles at areas off its northern and southern coasts.
US President Bill Clinton quietly sent US Navy forces into the Taiwan Strait to demonstrate to Beijing that the US would prevent an attack on the island.
Tensions eased significantly from 2008 to 2016 – until the leadership of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Thai Anh Van was elected president. China views the DPP as a hardline pro-independence party and responded by cutting off all direct links with the government in Taipei.
That situation has persisted ever since.
At the end of July 2022 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi flies to Taipei – the first time a House speaker has visited the island since 1996. Pelosi’s visit and her public support for Taiwan are seen by Beijing as a major provocation – coming close the official recognition of the government here by a very senior American politician.
They responded violently – holding two days of exercises and launching ballistic missiles over the island and into the Pacific for the first time.
