The Chinese army began three days of military exercises in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, amid tensions with the island after a meeting in the United States between its president Tsai Ing-wen and the third figure of the US state.
The moves “serve as a serious warning against collusion between separatist forces seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and external forces, as well as their provocative activities,” a Chinese military spokesman, Shi Yi, said in a statement.
On Monday, live-fire exercises will be carried out in the Taiwan Strait, near the coast of Fujian (east), the province that overlooks the island, local maritime authorities also said. The Taiwanese defense has already announced that it has detected eight warships and 42 fighter jets around the island.
Taipei said the moves threatened “stability and security” in the Asia-Pacific region.
Measures in retaliation for the US visit of the Taiwanese president
The announcements follow President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States this week, where she met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday. Beijing immediately promised “firm and forceful measures” in retaliation.
China views with discontent the rapprochement that has taken place in recent years between the Taiwanese authorities and the United States, which despite the absence of official relations provides the island with significant military support.
China considers Taiwan (23 million inhabitants) as one of its provinces, which it has not yet managed to reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.
The United States recognized the People’s Republic of China in 1979 and in theory should not have any official contact with the Republic of China (Taiwan), under the “one China principle” advocated by Beijing.
Dispatch of warships and aircraft
Since Thursday, Beijing has been stepping up military pressure on Taiwan by sending warships and planes into the strait.
The exact location of the new exercises is not specified, apart from the live-fire exercises on Monday, which will take place around Pingtan, the closest point to Taiwan on the Chinese mainland.
The narrowest part of the strait between the Chinese coast and the island is about 130 kilometers wide. For several days now, China has also strengthened the presence of its coast guards in the strait for exceptional patrols.
On Friday, reporters in Pingtan saw a military ship and at least two military helicopters transiting the Taiwan Strait. However, it was not clear whether the moves represented an increase in the usual number of Chinese patrols in the area.
Previous exercises in the summer of 2022
In August, Beijing launched unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan when Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who preceded Kevin McCarthy, visited the island.
The response at this point to the meeting with the American number three has nothing to do with the summer of 2022.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday during its daily update earlier in the day that it had detected 13 Chinese planes and three Chinese warships around the island.
Issue raised by Macron during his visit to China
These military maneuvers come a day after a state visit to China by Emmanuel Macron, during which the Taiwan issue was raised with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The conversation was dense and frank” on this subject, the Elysée said on Friday.
“Anyone who thinks that China is going to engage with Taiwan is delusional,” Xi Jinping assured European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday during a meeting in Beijing, according to comments reported by Chinese diplomacy.
Source: BFM TV
