China This Thursday, two days of military exercises began “around the island of Taiwan” as “strong punishment” for “the separatist acts” in this territory after the inauguration of a new president detested by Beijing. The Ministry of Defense of Taiwan He said that he had detected 49 Chinese aircraft as part of the Beijing maneuvers.
“Since 07:20,” the ministry “detected 49 Chinese planes (…) of which 35 crossed the median line,” he stated, referring to the line that divides the Strait of Taiwanlocated between the island and mainland China.
LOOK: Taiwan detects 42 Chinese planes and 31 ships during the first day of military maneuvers
Considered by the communist authorities as a “dangerous separatist”, Lai Ching-te took over as president on Monday with a speech in which he celebrated the democracy of Taiwan and urged China to “cease its political and military intimidation.”
Chinawhich claims its sovereignty over this island governed separately since 1949 and which has never ruled out the use of force to take control, denounced his words as a “confession of independence.”
The maneuvers began early Thursday with the deployment of military aircraft and ships “around the island of Taiwan” to test their combat capabilities, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced.
“TAll separatist forces in favor of Taiwan independence will end up with broken heads and covered in blood before the historic event that will mean the complete reunification of China“said the spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Wang Wenbin.
Taiwanese authorities responded immediately and mobilized their sea, air and land forces.
“We will continue defending the values of freedom and democracy,” said the president. The I. “I will remain on the front lines with our brothers and sisters in the military to defend national security together,” she added.
In coordination with the army, The Taiwan Coast Guard deployed its fleet to “monitor movements in the surrounding maritime waters” and defend “the sovereignty and security of the country with a firm attitude.”
Taiwan deployed four fighter jets from Hsinchu baseabout 60 km southwest of Taipei.
In images released by the Taiwanese Coast Guard on social networks, Officers appear urging the Chinese ships, through a loudspeaker, to leave the place.
“Your movements affect the order and security of our country, turn around and leave our waters as soon as possible,” says one of them.
“Strong punishment”
The exercises “take place in the Taiwan Straitto the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan,” reported the official Chinese press agency Xinhua.
According to Colonel Li Xi, army spokesman, The maneuvers represent “a strong punishment for the separatist acts of the Taiwanese independence forces.”‘ and a serious warning against interference and provocation by external forces.” With them, “joint real combat capabilities will be put to the test,” he said.
For his part, professor at the National Defense University in Beijing, Zhang Chi, commented on state television CCTV that The exercises seek to “impose an economic blockade on the island,” “strangling” Kaohsiung port, which is of strategic interest to Taiwan.
With this blockade, “vital energy imports for Taiwan” and “block the support that some US allies provide to the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” according to the academic.
“Irrational provocations”
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have deteriorated markedly since the rise to power of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. who, like her successor Lai, is a firm defender of the island’s democratic model.
Beijing increased military pressure, diplomatic and economic on this island of 23 million inhabitants which, although it barely enjoys international recognition, has a government, an army and its own currency.
“China clearly feels that he needs to send a very strong message to The I and to anyone who supports him,” wrote analyst Bill Bishop in his influential Sinocism newsletter.
“We were expecting something like this, honestly,” acknowledged the deputy commander of the US army in the region, Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka, at an event in Canberra. “It’s worrying,” he added.
In August, China launched military exercises in response to then-Vice President Lai’s stop in the United States amid a trip to Paraguay.
Months earlier, in April, the Chinese military pretended to surround the island after a meeting of tsai in California with then-Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.
In 2022, China held massive military exercises in the area after McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan.
Events in this area can have important economic consequences, since 70% of the world’s semiconductor production comes from Taiwan and more than 50% of freight containers cross the strait that separates this island from mainland China.
