BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s military began a series of military drills on Thursday that included live fire in the waters and airspace surrounding the island of Taiwan, Chinese state television reported.
These maneuvers, spread over six sites, must end Sunday noon local time (04:00 GMT), according to information reported by state television, and follow the visit of the President of the House of Representatives of the United States, Nancy Pelosi, Taiwan, a trip condemned by Beijing, which claims the territory.
The area concerned almost encircles the island, from the north, east and south, and crosses the 12 nautical miles of territorial waters claimed by Taiwan, which, according to Taipei, challenges the international order and amounts to a blockade of its maritime and air space.
This maneuvering area is unprecedented, said Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the Chinese National Defense University, on state television. He also considers plausible a real military operation against Taiwan.
“In fact, it creates very good conditions for us when, in the future, we reshape our strategic landscape in favor of our unification,” Meng Xiangqing said.
Chinese forces present in two areas off the northern coast of Taiwan could potentially block Keelung, a major port, while strikes could be launched from an area east of Taiwan and target military bases in Hualien and Taidong, he added.
Kaoshiung’s “gates” could also be blocked by the Chinese military off the southwest coast, the professor added.
(Report Ryan Woo; French version Camille Raynaud and Kate Entringer)