According to the government in Taiwan, China simulated an attack on the main island during its military exercises on Saturday. Chinese planes were deployed in the Taiwan Strait in the morning, the Defense Ministry in Taipei said. For several minutes, some of them crossed the unofficial border line in the middle of the busy shipping lane. Taiwan’s military sees such actions as part of a simulated attack on the main island of Taiwan.
China’s Task Force East said the maneuver continued north, southwest and east of Taiwan as planned. The focus is on testing offensive capabilities on land and sea.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said its own military had responded with reconnaissance flights and naval patrols. Land-based missiles were also put on standby. According to the ministry, flares were fired as early as Friday evening to repel seven Chinese drones. These had flown over the Kinmen Islands. In addition, unidentified aircraft have been sighted over the Matsu Islands.
Maneuvers until Sunday noon
Both island groups belong to Taiwan and are located near the southeast coast of the People’s Republic of China. Since Thursday and until Sunday noon, this has been holding military maneuvers in six areas around Taiwan, in which warplanes, warships and drones are in use.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory. Taiwan has been under its own administration since 1949. At that time, Mao Zedong’s communists defeated the nationalist Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek in the Chinese civil war, who then retreated to the island of Taiwan. Taiwan sees itself as an independent Republic of China. The status of Taiwan, which few countries recognize as independent, is one of the main points of contention between the US and China. Like many other countries, the USA does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan out of consideration for the People’s Republic of China. However, they support it with military equipment and are its main supplier of armaments.