China starts "punitive" military maneuvers around Taiwan

2024-05-23 13:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

China began "punitive" military maneuvers around Taiwan on Thursday, saying they were in response to "separatist actions".

During drills Thursday morning in the Taiwan Strait and around islands controlled by Taiwan, the Chinese military simulated an all-out attack on Taiwan, days after new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was sworn in.

China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its territory, condemned Lai's inaugural speech on Monday, in which he called on China to stop threats and said the two sides of the strait "do not submit to each other - the other".

On Tuesday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Lai "brazen".

Lai has repeatedly said he is ready for talks with China, but has been refused. He says only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future, and rejects Beijing's claims to sovereignty.

China's military said joint military exercises between the army, navy, air force and missile forces in areas around Taiwan began on Thursday.

The drills are being held in the Taiwan Strait, north, south and east of Taiwan, as well as in areas around the Taiwanese-controlled islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin, according to the Chinese military.

This is the first time that China has conducted military exercises in the areas around these islands.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry condemned the drills, and announced that it has put its forces around the island on alert, and that its ground-based anti-aircraft missile forces are tracking the targets. She expressed her belief that she can defend her territory. "Starting military maneuvers in this case not only does not contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but also highlights China's militaristic mindset," the Taiwanese Ministry said.

The Chinese military in the last four years has carried out almost daily activities in the vicinity of Taiwan. It conducted large-scale military maneuvers near Taiwan in 2022 and 2023.

Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually become part of China, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this.

But many Taiwanese see themselves as part of another nation - even though most of them favor maintaining the status quo, according to which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor joins it. Rel