China launched a large-scale military exercise to encircle Taiwan on the 8th in retaliation against a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
According to Dongmang (東網) and Central News Agency, spokesman Sui (施毅) of the Chinese Army’s Eastern Front announced that live ammunition training will be conducted until the 10th in the Taiwan Strait surrounding Taiwan Island and in the sea and air areas in northern, southern, and eastern Taiwan. did.
Spokesman Sui said that the Taiwan encirclement drill was launched to give a stern warning against provocations by separatist forces for Taiwan independence and external forces, saying, “It is an action necessary to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had confirmed that 42 Chinese military aircraft, including fighter jets, and eight warships had crossed the middle line of the Taiwan Strait and were near Taiwan Island.
In a statement, the Ministry of National Defense stated that it would make every effort to respond to the contingency, saying, “We will maintain a high level of alertness and respond appropriately to protect Taiwan’s safety.”
The statement also condemned, “China’s conducting military exercises under the pretext of President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States significantly harms regional peace and stability.”
China strongly protested and warned that it would retaliate against President Tsai’s meeting with House Speaker McCarthy in California on the 5th while transiting through the United States before and after his trip to Central America.
When former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August last year, the Chinese military conducted large-scale military drills to blockade Taiwan, sent fighter jets and warships around Taiwan Island to threaten it, and even practiced firing ballistic missiles over Taiwan Island.
Prior to this military drill, Chinese maritime authorities banned ships from sailing the previous day, saying they would conduct live ammunition training in the waters near Fujian Province facing Taiwan Island and the waters near Mazudao Island, which is effectively controlled by Taiwan, from the 8th to the 20th. .
Right before the meeting between President Tsai and House Speaker McCarthy, an aircraft carrier group led by Shandong, China’s first domestically-made aircraft carrier, conducted a naval exercise in the western Pacific close to southeast Taiwan and demonstrated force.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.