High tension between China and Taiwan following military maneuvers

High tension between China and Taiwan following military maneuvers

the world
| 04:41 – 05/24/2024

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China said on Friday that the leadership in Taiwan was dragging the autonomous island claimed by Beijing towards “war”, warning against strengthening “countermeasures” at a time when Beijing was conducting military exercises around the island.
Chinese warships and warplanes imposed a cordon around Taiwan on Friday, the second day of maneuvers that Beijing says are aimed at testing its ability to seize the island, days after its president was sworn in.
The Chinese army began maneuvers on Thursday morning and surrounded Taiwan with military ships and aircraft, vowing to “shed blood” for what it described as “independence forces” on the island.
The maneuvers came three days after Lai Ching-li assumed the Taiwanese presidency this week and delivered a speech that China denounced as a “recognition of independence.”
Chinese Defense Minister Wu Qian said Friday that Lai “seriously challenged the one China principle… and dragged our citizens in Taiwan into a dangerous situation fraught with war and danger.”
He added, “Every time (the movement supporting) Taiwan independence provokes us, we will go further in our countermeasures, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved.”
The maneuvers are part of an escalating intimidation campaign by China that has included a number of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in recent years.
Chinese People’s Liberation Army spokesman for the Eastern Regional Command, Li Shi, said that the maneuvers aim to test “the ability to seize power, launch joint strikes, and control key areas.”
China, from which Taiwan separated at the end of a civil war 75 years ago, considers the island a rebellious province that must be reunited with the mainland.
This has made the Taiwan Strait one of the most tense areas in the world. This week’s developments raised fears that China might use its military power to extend its control over the island and annex it.
The United States, Taiwan’s strongest ally and military backer, on Thursday “strongly” urged China to exercise restraint. The United Nations called on all parties to avoid escalation.

Dying for Taiwan’s independence
With the launch of the exercise, called “Common Sword-2024A,” China said that it represents “a severe punishment for the separatist actions of the independence forces in Taiwan and a stern warning against the interference and provocations of external forces.”
Footage published by the Chinese army showed soldiers streaming from a building to combat centers and planes taking off to the sound of enthusiastic military music.
In a tourist park on the Chinese island of Pingtang, located in the Taiwan Strait, visitors climbed onto rocky sites to view the misty horizon while pop music blared from speakers at nearby stalls selling tea.
Others took photos in front of a sign that read, “The closest distance between the motherland and the island of Taiwan,” which is 68 nautical miles (126 kilometers).
Chinese sailors contacted their Taiwanese counterparts at sea and warned them not to “resist reunification by force,” state broadcaster CCTV reported Friday.
Interactive drawings published by the Chinese army showed missiles landing on major targets in the north, south and east of the island, stressing its readiness to “die for Taiwan’s independence!”
The Taipei Coast Guard reported on Friday that four Chinese Coast Guard ships entered the “forbidden waters” of two Taiwanese islands, accompanied by two other ships.
“This is the eighth time this month that Chinese Coast Guard ships have entered forbidden waters,” the Taipei Coast Guard said, adding that the ships left around nine in the morning (01:00 GMT).
“We urge China to exercise restraint and immediately stop its irrational behavior,” he added.
China has often considered Lai a “dangerous separatist” who will bring “war and retreat” to the island.
Lai said in a speech Thursday that he would “stand on the front line” to defend Taiwan, without directly referring to the ongoing drills.
His inauguration speech, in which he praised a “glorious” era of democracy in Taiwan on Monday, angered Beijing.

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