MADRID, May 25. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Chinese Army has concluded the massive military exercises that it has carried out in recent days around Taiwan, the largest maneuvers that it has carried out in the last twelve months and that have coincided with the inauguration of Lai Ching Te as president of the island, a continuity figure who rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims over the territory.
The Army has “successfully completed all missions” directed against Taiwan, state military news channel CCTV announced, after a total of 111 Chinese aircraft and dozens of warships surrounded the island over the past 48 hours. according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense.
The latest drills ushered in a new era of standardized practices, according to Zhang Chi, an associate professor at the National Defense University of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, in an interview with CCTV. “The PLA will step forward every time Taiwanese separatists carry out a provocative act,” he added.
Beijing has expressed its discontent with the new Taipei government in recent days, accusing Lai of entrenching himself in the independence policy of recent decades on the island.
The exercises were intended to “serve as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” Chinese news agency Xinhua reported, citing a military spokesman.
“China’s recent unilateral military provocations have not only undermined the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but also openly provoked the international order and aroused serious concern and condemnation from the international community,” he said. against the presidential spokesperson of Taiwan, Karen Kuo, in a statement made this Saturday.
Taipei calls on China to “assume global responsibility towards Taiwan and work to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region,” he added.
The drills add to the complications Lai faces, including a campaign organized by rival deputies — from the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People’s Party — to control the president’s powers. The opposition is pushing for changes to the law that would expand lawmakers’ ability to investigate the government, prompting thousands of people to take to the streets in protest.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the legislature in Taipei on Friday night to protest the bill, in parallel with smaller demonstrations in other cities around the island of 23 million people.
The president’s party was able to delay the passage of the bill, ensuring that it was not passed before the meeting ended around 11:30 p.m. local time. Crowds are expected to gather again on Tuesday, when the parliamentary session on the project is scheduled to resume.
