Shreya Varanasi, Pune
China launched air and sea military drills around Taiwan on Saturday as a ‘stern warning’ to separatist forces on the island. This happened after the Taiwanese Vice President’s visit to the United States. Taiwan has responded to these military exercises and stated that it “highlights China’s militaristic mentality.”
The Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army is responsible for the area around Taiwan and has said that the exercises focused on training “the coordination of military vessels and their ability to seize control of air and sea spaces.” Further in the statement, the spokesperson said that the exercises serve as a stern warning to the collusion of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists with foreign elements.
Taiwan swiftly denounced China’s military drills and declared that it had sent out fighter jets, land-based missile systems, and navy ships to keep an eye on Chinese forces. The Taiwanese military ministry also stated that these personnel possessed the will, skills, and confidence to protect the country’s security. Additionally, it stated that 26 aircraft had crossed the median line, which had previously served as the informal boundary between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and that 42 Chinese aircraft and eight ships were taking part in the military drill.
Taiwanese Vice President and presidential candidate William Lai had stopped in New York and returned from Paraguay after a trip to reinforce his government’s relations with their last diplomatic partner in South America via San Francisco. The stopover was condemned by China’s foreign minister, who called Lai a “troublemaker through and through.” Mr. Lai is his party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential elections in January.
Following a civil war that resulted in the Communist Party seizing control of the Chinese mainland, China and Taiwan were divided in 1949. Beijing says it is a part of their territory and has threatened to use force if necessary to seize control of the self-governing island, despite the fact that it has never considered itself to be a part of China.
The US had a historic summit with South Korea and Japan at Camp David, the US presidential retreat, to support their alliance. The Chinese military exercises also took place soon after that meeting. During this summit, the three nations also criticized China’s actions in the South China Sea.