Conflicts
Warning to Taiwan: China is holding major military exercises
Chinese fighter jets in the air: China starts what is probably the largest military exercise in about a year. Photo
© Li Bingyu/Xinhua/dpa
China’s military regularly exercises off Taiwan’s coast. But an event a few days ago particularly angered the Communist Party in Beijing. The major maneuver is not just intended to be a signal to Taiwan.
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. “This is also a harsh punishment for the separatist forces of independence Taiwan and a serious warning against interference and provocation by external forces,” said People’s Liberation Army East Division spokesman Marine Colonel Li Xi.
The army, navy, air force and the missile forces would hold exercises in the strait between China and Taiwan (Taiwan Strait) and around Taiwan – which is around 130 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. The exercise is expected to be the largest in about a year.
According to the information, the military wants to train joint combat readiness on water and in the air as well as attacks on key targets. Ships and planes would approach Taiwan from the north and south for “patrols” and would also come close to several islands, such as the island of Kinmen, just a few kilometers from mainland China.
Taiwan speaks of “irrational provocation”
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry condemned the military exercise as an “irrational provocation” that threatened peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The armed forces on sea, on the ground and in the air were deployed to “defend freedom and democracy with practical actions,” Taipei said. The ministry did not provide further details about the measures.
China considers Taiwan 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 planes fly towards Taiwan almost every day to demonstrate the military power of the People’s Liberation Army.
Also a warning signal to the West
The background to the now announced exercise is likely to be the inauguration of the newly elected Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. 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 should also apply to Taiwan’s allies and in particular the USA, which has assured the island republic of support in the event of a defense and regularly supplies it with weapons, to the annoyance of Beijing.