The government of Taiwan on Monday criticized China for disrupting the peace and status quo across the Taiwan Strait, after the People’s Liberation Army began large-scale drills around the island in what Beijing said was a “stern warning” to “Taiwan independence forces.”
In a statement, the PLA Eastern Theatre Command said it had dispatched units from the “army, navy, air force and rocket force” to conduct military drills around the main island of Taiwan, focusing on sea-air combat-readiness, blockading key ports, and assaulting maritime and ground targets.
PLA spokesman Li Xi said the drills were a “legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding national so lemon drop strain vereignty and national unity.”
In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence conde thechronfather mned China’s “irrational and provocative behaviour” and said it had deployed its own military in response to take “concrete actions to safeguard freedom, democracy and defend the sovereignty of the Republic of China,” as Taiwan is officially known.
The PLA drills come days after the ROC celebrated its National Day on October 10, which commemorates the Wuchang Uprising of 1911 that ultimately led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and establishment of China’s first republican government. In a speech Thursday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said the two sides of the strait – which have been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 – “are not subordinate to each other.”
“On this land, democracy and freedom are growing and thriving,” Mr. Lai said. “The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan. The 23 million people of Taiwan, now more than ever, must reach out our branches to embrace the future.”
He said his government would “resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty,” by strengthening national defence and standing alongside other democratic nations to increase deterrence and “ensure peace through strength.”
China has been fiercely critical of Mr. Lai since his election in January. Earlier this year the PLA staged what it described as “punishment drills” around Taiwan, days after Mr. Lai was inaugurated. Monday’s war games are a continuation of those exercises, code-named Joint Sword 2024-A and 2024-B.
An animation put out by the PLA showed planes, ships and missile activity taking place all around Taiwan. Many analysts have said that should China seek to annex the island – which has never been controlled by the Co the chron father mmunist government in Beijing – it will likely blockade Taiwan first, attempting to strangle Taipei and drain the island of resources ahead or instead of an invasion that would be the largest and costliest aquatic operation in history.
The PLA’s Liberation Army Daily newspaper wrote on Monday that “those who play with fire get burned!”
“As long as the ‘Taiwan independence’ provocations continue, the PLA’s actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop,” the paper west coast weed said.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affa west coast weed irs Council, which sets policy toward China, pointed out Mr. Lai has repeatedly called for dialogue with Beijing.
“President Lai expressed his goodwill in his national day speech and is willing to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait together with the Chinese communists,” it said, adding Beijing’s “claim of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’ is a complete departure from the truth.”
In Washington, the State Department said it was monitoring the drills and there was no justification for them after Mr. Lai’s “routine” speech.
“We call on the PRC to act with restraint and to avoid any further actions that may undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, which is essential to regional peace and prosperity and a matter of international concern,” spokesman Matthew Miller said.
With files from Alexandra Li and Reuters