China started this Saturday three days of military exercises around Taiwan which include the trial of a “total circle” on the self-governing island after the meeting of its president with the leader of the US House of Representatives. The maneuvers “serve as severe warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking Taiwan’s independence and external forces,” military spokesman Shi Yin said in a statement.
Today’s exercise focuses on the ability to take control of the sea, airspace and information […] to create a deterrent and a total circle’ of Taiwan, Chinese state television, CCTV, said. According to television, destroyers, fast missile boats, fighters and tankers will be deployed during the maneuvers.
The exact location of these operations has not been revealed, but they will involve Monday shot with live fire off the coast of Fujian Province, off Taiwan, the regional maritime authority communicated in a statement. The narrowest part of the Taiwan Strait between the mainland Chinese coasts and the island is about 130 kilometers wide.
Meeting with the US
The announcement comes after the meeting on Wednesday in California between the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, and the speaker of the United States House of RepresentativesKevin McCarthy.
Shortly after the controversial meeting, Beijing warned that it would take “firm and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity”. China considers this island of democratic government to be part of its territory and opposes any contact between Taiwanese leaders and representatives of other countries.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, Chinese exercises “seriously undermine peace, stability and security in the region”. President Tsai also denounced Beijing’s “continuous authoritarian expansionism”.
“Preparation for Combat”
After two days of deploying aircraft and ships near the island, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced “a combat readiness exercise in the Taiwan Strait” from April 8 to 10. The Taiwanese ministry noted that 8 warships and 42 Chinese fighter jets were detected around its territory on Saturday morning.
However, in point of mainland China closest to Taiwan, Pingtan Island, the tourists seemed oblivious to the events taking pictures in front of the sea where cargo ships still circulated. “I’ve seen the news, but it won’t crush our plans today,” said Wu, a young woman in her 30s, as she walked along a boardwalk with her partner. Another woman, in her 20s and who did not give her name, said she had not heard of the exercises. “What situation?” “Nothing happens,” he said.
China already did military maneuvers around the island in August 2022 in response to the visit to Taipei of Nancy Pelosi, McCarthy’s predecessor at the head of the House of Representatives. The current leader of the Lower House of the US legislature also wanted to travel to the island, but ultimately opted for a meeting with Tsai in California that drew Beijing’s ire. The Taiwanese leader made a stopover there after visiting Guatemala and Belize, two of the island’s last official allies, which recently lost Honduras to Beijing.
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Right now, only 13 countries recognize Taipei. Not among them is the United States, which, however, is one of its main allies and arms supplier.
On returning to Taipei, Tsai assured this Saturday that Taiwan “will continue working with the United States and other like-minded countries to jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy”. On the eve, the spokeswoman for Chinese diplomacy, Mao Ning, had said that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China”.