Beijing, May 23 (EFE).- China today described the military maneuvers it is carrying out around the island of Taiwan as “completely legitimate and necessary” and noted that they are “in line with international law and practice.”
The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China announced the launch of military exercises near Taiwan starting at 7:45 this morning (23:45 GMT on Wednesday), as “strong punishment” to the “separatist acts relating to the independence” of Taiwan.
“These exercises seek to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as punish the separatist activities of those promoting ‘Taiwan independence’. They are also a serious warning against external forces that provoke and interfere in China’s internal affairs.” Foreign spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press conference.
According to Wang, the exercises are “in line with international law and international practice,” and are “completely legitimate and necessary.”
The spokesperson assured that “the Chinese people are determined to defend their sovereignty” and that “all separatist acts in favor of ‘Taiwan independence’ will be met with a frontal blow by the more than 1.4 billion Chinese.”
“The so-called ‘Taiwan independence’ is a dead end. Separatist forces will fall to the historical trend of complete reunification of China,” Wang added.
The spokesperson reiterated that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” something that “will never change in the future.”
He also urged the United States to “stop tolerating and supporting forces promoting ‘Taiwan independence'” and to “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.”
“Any act that endangers China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will be resolutely and vigorously countered,” he noted.
Wang was thus responding to statements made by the commander general of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Stephen D. Sklenka, who described the military maneuvers as “worrying” from Canberra.
The military high command also linked the Chinese military maneuvers to the recent inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Willian Lai (Lai Ching-te), branded by Beijing as a “secessionist” and “troublemaker.”
For their part, the Government and the two main opposition parties in Taiwan expressed this Thursday their condemnation of the “provocative” maneuvers of the Chinese Army around the island.
Along these lines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan “will continue to defend its belief in democracy” and will not change “due to coercion” from China, which considers the island, governed autonomously since 1949, as a “rebellious province.” “. EFE
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