- A few days after the inauguration of the new president in Taiwan, China announced a large-scale military exercise around the East Asian island republic.
- It is meant to be a punishment for Taiwan and a warning to the West not to interfere, said Marine Colonel Li Xi.
- The exercise is likely to be the largest in about a year.
The army, navy, air force and missile forces would hold exercises on Thursday and Friday in the strait between China and Taiwan (Taiwan Strait) – about 130 kilometers wide at its narrowest point – and around Taiwan.
“This is also a severe punishment for the separatist forces of Taiwan independence and a serious warning against interference and provocation by external forces,” said spokesman for the Eastern Chapter of the People’s Liberation Army, Marine Colonel Li Xi.
According to the information, the military wants to train joint combat readiness at sea and in the air as well as attacks on key targets. Ships and aircraft would approach Taiwan from the north and south for “patrols” and also approach several islands, such as the island of Kinmen, which is only a few kilometers from the Chinese mainland.
An “irrational provocation”
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry condemned the military exercise as an “irrational provocation” that endangers peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The armed forces on land, sea and in the air were deployed to defend “freedom and democracy with practical actions,” it said from Taipei. The ministry did not provide any further details about the measures.
Legend:
China announces that the large-scale military exercise will be carried out on water, in the air and on the ground.
IMAGO / VCG
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province, although independent and democratically elected governments have been in power there for decades. The leadership in Beijing has already threatened several times to unite the island, which has a population of more than 23 million, and the mainland by military force.
In addition to regular exercises by the armed forces, fighter jets fly to Taiwan almost every day to demonstrate the military might of the People’s Liberation Army.
Warning also applies to the USA
The background to the exercise now announced is likely to be the inauguration of the newly elected Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Monday. His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in January and supports Taiwan’s independence. The ruling Communist Party in Beijing accuses the DPP of separatism.
The warning is also likely to apply to Taiwan’s allies, particularly the United States, which has promised the island republic support in the event of a defense and regularly supplies it with weapons, much to Beijing’s annoyance.