China’s military conducted land and sea attacks surrounding Taiwan, the second such rehearsal in less than a month. The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command claimed its soldiers conducted “joint combat preparedness patrols and real combat drills” near Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. The drills aimed to evaluate combined combat capabilities and “resolutely confront the provocative activities of foreign forces and Taiwan independence separatist forces,” a military official said.
Taiwan’s presidential office called China’s charges “groundless” and denounced the drills, saying peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and area are shared responsibilities. Taiwan won’t aggravate confrontations or cause disagreements, but would protect its sovereignty and security, the administration stated. “The military understands the Taiwan Strait issue and responds calmly. It continued, “Our folks may rest easy.” Taiwan’s defense ministry said Monday it has spotted 57 Chinese military aircraft and four naval ships surrounding the island in the past 24 hours, releasing maps of their flight patterns on Twitter. Some of the planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, an unofficial boundary between the two sides. The ministry map showed two nuclear-capable H-6 aircraft near Taiwan’s south. China conducted similar drills last month after the US enacted a defense funding package that contained backing for Taiwan. According to Taipei, 43 Chinese aircraft breached the median line. Taipei will increase mandatory military duty from four months to one year in 2024. China has increased its military actions in Taiwan’s seas and airspace since Tsai Ing-wen was elected president in 2016. Tensions increased last August after Nancy Pelosi visited the island. Taiwan’s administration claims only Taiwanese can decide the island’s destiny and will defend itself if invaded by China.
Beijing’s latest moves come as German lawmakers arrive for a ministerial visit later this year. The visit was a “show of solidarity” with the self-ruled democracy, the delegation’s chairman told AFP. Strack-Zimmermann said lawmakers from the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) will meet “important leaders from politics, public society, and the military” to address the present “threat scenario”. Taiwan’s government said 1,727 Chinese planes entered Taiwan’s ADIZ in 2022. 960 invasions are expected in 2021 and 380 in 2020. The US has no official diplomatic connections with Taiwan but must assist it with defenses.
