the island “on alert”, a Chinese aircraft carrier having been detected to the south of the island

The army is “ready to react if necessary”, affirms the Ministry of Defense in a press release published this Sunday.

The Taiwanese army is in “state of alert” this Sunday, October 13 after detecting a Chinese aircraft carrier to the south of the island, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced in a press release.

“Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning has entered the waters near the Bashi Channel and is likely heading towards the Western Pacific”explained the ministry, specifying that the army is “on alert, ready to react if necessary”.

Bad relationships

Beijing has intensified its military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years. China has never renounced using military force to regain control of the island, which it considers a part of its territory to be reunited one day. It has organized three series of large-scale maneuvers over the past two years, using its air force and navy to encircle the island.

Relations between Beijing and Taipei have been terrible since 2016 and the arrival as Taiwanese president of Tsai Ing-wen, then of her successor Lai Ching-te this year.

“Resist annexation”

Invested in May, Lai Ching-te committed Thursday to “resist annexation” Chinese culture of the island, on the occasion of the national holiday.

Beijing, which describes Lai Ching-te as “separatist”reacted by warning that “provocations” of the Taiwanese president will lead to a “disaster” for his people.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, also considered that Lai Ching-te’s speech “revealed (…) his sinister intention to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait due to personal political interests”.

” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >

“Status quo”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Friday against any “provocation” towards Taiwan. “The whole world has every interest in maintaining peace and stability, in preserving the status quo, in avoiding any type of conflict likely to disrupt essential elements of the global economy”he stressed.

Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei as a legitimate power since 1979, but remains Taiwan’s most powerful ally and its main arms supplier. A senior American official interviewed on Wednesday estimated that China could use the Taiwanese celebrations on Thursday to justify the conduct of military exercises.

Twenty-seven Chinese military planes and nine Chinese naval vessels were identified around the island in the space of 24 hours, from Wednesday to Thursday, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said.

Disputes between Beijing and Taipei date back to the long and deadly civil war which pitted communist fighters led by Mao Tse-tung against the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek.

Defeated by the communists, who founded the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949, the nationalists of the Republic of China took refuge with many civilians in Taiwan, one of the only parts of the national territory then not conquered by the forces of Mao Tse-tung.

” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >

source site

Related Articles