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Beijing escalated tensions in the Taiwan Strait Monday as Chinese aircraft and vessels formed a ring around the island. The maneuvers, Chinese authorities stated, aimed to issue a firm rebuke to separatist elements within Taiwan’s self-governing territory.
China has repeatedly emphasized its willingness to employ military action to assert sovereignty over Taiwan, and its latest maneuvers represent the fourth major military exercise in the region within a two-year span, further heightening tensions.
Beijing’s recent military exercises come hot on the heels of a stern warning from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who urged China to refrain from reacting aggressively to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s National Day speech.
President Lai’s bold advocacy for Taiwan’s independence has sparked a backlash from Beijing, which has branded him a separatist. Lai’s unwavering commitment to Taiwan’s self-governance surpasses that of his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, and has become a point of contention in cross-strait relations.
In response to China’s military drills, Taiwan’s authorities condemned the actions as unwarranted and provocative, stating that targeted military assets have been activated to maintain regional stability and safeguard national interests.
AFP journalists near Hsinchu Air Force Base, in northern Taiwan, witnessed six fighter jets take off on Monday.
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Beijing said its exercises served as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan Independence’ forces”.
The drills, dubbed Joint Sword-2024B, “test the joint operations capabilities of the theatre command’s troops”, said Captain Li Xi, spokesman for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command.
They are taking place in “areas to the north, south, and east of Taiwan Island”, he stated.
The drills are “focusing on subjects of sea-air combat-readiness patrol, blockade on key ports and areas”, according to Li.
China’s coast guard was also dispatched to conduct “inspections” around the island.
A diagram released by the Coast Guard showed four fleets encircling Taiwan and moving in an anticlockwise direction around the island.
The coast guard of the eastern province of Fujian — the closest area on the mainland to the self-ruled island — also stated that it was conducting “comprehensive law enforcement patrols” in waters near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands.
Taiwan said four “formations” of Chinese coast guard ships were patrolling around the island, but they had not entered its prohibited or restricted waters.
China has ramped up military activity around Taiwan in recent years, sending in warplanes and other military aircraft, while its ships maintain a near-constant presence around the island’s waters.
“In the face of enemy threats, all officers and soldiers of the country are in full readiness,” Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Monday.
“We are determined and confident in ensuring national defence security.”
In his speech on Thursday, Lai vowed to “resist annexation” of the island and insisted that Beijing and Taipei were “not subordinate to each other”.
