BEIJING/TAIPEI: The Chinese military launched a massive two-day "punishment exercise" around Taiwan on Thursday, involving its army, navy, air force and rockets, in retaliation for the "separatist acts" of the self-ruled island's new president. forces were involved. Lai Ching-te rejected Beijing's claim of sovereignty over it.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) began joint military exercises around the island of Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.
“The exercise also serves as a stern punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan Independence Forces and a strong warning against interference and provocation by outside forces,” said Li Xi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait.,
The exercise is being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, north, south and eastern part of Taiwan Island as well as areas around Kinmen, Matsu, Wukiu and Dongyin Islands.
Lai, 64, also known as William Lai, who replaced his independence-oriented Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ally Tsai Ing-wen after winning the popular vote in the presidential election in January this year, has Took oath as President at the ceremony. In Taipei on Monday.
In his no-holds-barred inaugural address, Lai called on China to stop threatening the island, promised to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and called on Beijing to work jointly for peace.Lai said his government would abide by the four commitments (of national sovereignty, democracy and independence) and maintain the status quo without coercion or subservience. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbi opposed Lai, saying: "Taiwan independence is a dead end".
"No matter under what pretext or banner it is pursued, the push for Taiwan independence is destined to fail," Wang said at a media briefing here, reacting to Lai's remarks.
No matter how the political situation changes on the island of Taiwan, it will not change the historical and legal facts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and the historical trend is that China will eventually and inevitably reunify. Will be integrated, Wang said.
China claims that the breakaway nation of Taiwan is part of it and makes it mandatory for all countries that have diplomatic relations with it to follow the 'One China' policy which effectively states that Taiwan is part of China.Li Xi said military services including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Rock Force of theater commands are being mobilized to hold the joint exercise code-named Joint Sword-2024A from Thursday to Friday.
The exercises focus on joint sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure or comprehensive battlefield control and joint precision strikes on key targets, Li said, adding that the exercises also include ships and aircraft patrolling the areas around Taiwan Island. . and integrated operations in and out of the island chain to test the combined actual combat capabilities of the command's forces.
The spokesperson said the drills also serve as a stern punishment for the separatist acts of "Taiwan independence" forces and a strong warning against interference and provocation by outside forces.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry described the exercises in a statement on Thursday as disrupting regional peace and stability, adding that navy, air force and ground forces were deployed, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.Thursday's drills are reportedly similar to China's massive military mobilization around Taiwan in a show of force to object to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island in August 2022.
Pelosi is the first highest-ranking US official to visit Taipei in a show of solidarity.
During the 2022 military exercises, which lasted several days, China fired some missiles that passed over Taiwan, raising concerns about the possibility of Beijing taking military action against Taipei.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) began joint military exercises around the island of Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.
“The exercise also serves as a stern punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan Independence Forces and a strong warning against interference and provocation by outside forces,” said Li Xi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait.,
The exercise is being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, north, south and eastern part of Taiwan Island as well as areas around Kinmen, Matsu, Wukiu and Dongyin Islands.
Lai, 64, also known as William Lai, who replaced his independence-oriented Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ally Tsai Ing-wen after winning the popular vote in the presidential election in January this year, has Took oath as President at the ceremony. In Taipei on Monday.
In his no-holds-barred inaugural address, Lai called on China to stop threatening the island, promised to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and called on Beijing to work jointly for peace.Lai said his government would abide by the four commitments (of national sovereignty, democracy and independence) and maintain the status quo without coercion or subservience. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbi opposed Lai, saying: "Taiwan independence is a dead end".
"No matter under what pretext or banner it is pursued, the push for Taiwan independence is destined to fail," Wang said at a media briefing here, reacting to Lai's remarks.
No matter how the political situation changes on the island of Taiwan, it will not change the historical and legal facts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and the historical trend is that China will eventually and inevitably reunify. Will be integrated, Wang said.
China claims that the breakaway nation of Taiwan is part of it and makes it mandatory for all countries that have diplomatic relations with it to follow the 'One China' policy which effectively states that Taiwan is part of China.Li Xi said military services including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Rock Force of theater commands are being mobilized to hold the joint exercise code-named Joint Sword-2024A from Thursday to Friday.
The exercises focus on joint sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure or comprehensive battlefield control and joint precision strikes on key targets, Li said, adding that the exercises also include ships and aircraft patrolling the areas around Taiwan Island. . and integrated operations in and out of the island chain to test the combined actual combat capabilities of the command's forces.
The spokesperson said the drills also serve as a stern punishment for the separatist acts of "Taiwan independence" forces and a strong warning against interference and provocation by outside forces.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry described the exercises in a statement on Thursday as disrupting regional peace and stability, adding that navy, air force and ground forces were deployed, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.Thursday's drills are reportedly similar to China's massive military mobilization around Taiwan in a show of force to object to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island in August 2022.
Pelosi is the first highest-ranking US official to visit Taipei in a show of solidarity.
During the 2022 military exercises, which lasted several days, China fired some missiles that passed over Taiwan, raising concerns about the possibility of Beijing taking military action against Taipei.
