China bared its weapons teeth at the United States for three consecutive days, deploying 12 warships and 91 aircraft over Taiwan.. And he did it to show that he has the ability to invade the island if he considers it necessary, despite the fact that it declares itself independent from Beijing and that it counts on the recognition of autonomy by various governments, including Washington.
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China even declared this having “successfully completed” the three days of military maneuvers around Taiwan, which he named “Joint Sword” and with which he simulated attacks and an “air blockade” of the island with live ammunition and which, as was evident, it can wipe out Taiwanese resistance in a matter of minutes.
The exercises were Beijing’s response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting in California last week with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
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The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stated in a statement that the exercise “It fully tested the integrated joint combat capability of multiple sectors of the army under combat conditions.”
During the maneuvers, Beijing simulated targeted attacks against Taiwan as well as the encirclement of the island, including its “sealing”, and state media reported that dozens of planes had practiced an “air blockade”. One of the two Chinese aircraft carriers, the “Shandong”also participated.
And the response from the United States – which had repeatedly asked China for restraint – was not long in coming. this same monday sent its missile destroyer “USS Milius” through disputed sectors of the South China Sea.
“This operation of freedom of navigation respected the rights, freedoms and legitimate uses of the sea”the US Navy said in a statement, in which it explained that the ship had passed near the Spratly Islands, an archipelago claimed by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei and located some 1,300 kilometers from the territory it claims the independence of Beijing.
The deployment of the “Milius” immediately drew condemnation from China, which claimed the vessel had “illegally invaded” its territorial waters.
And, by the way, he warned that the independence of Taiwan and peace on both sides of the strait are “mutually exclusive”, and he blamed the tensions on the Taiwanese government and “foreign forces” whom he did not identify.
“If we want to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, we must firmly oppose any form of Taiwanese separatism,” warned Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
China’s ally Russia defended the moves. A Kremlin spokesman even claimed that Beijing it had the “sovereign right” to respond to what Moscow called “provocations”.
After the end of the maneuvers, Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned China for undermining “peace and stability” in the region.
Meanwhile, on the island of Beigan, part of the Taiwanese Matsu archipelago – very close to mainland China – Lin Ke-qiang, a 60-year-old cook, told AFP that he does not want war. “We ordinary people just want to lead a peaceful and stable life”Lin said, assuring that Taiwan’s military is not a match for China.
China and Taiwan separated after a civil war in 1949. Beijing considers Taiwan, which has a democratic government, as part of its territory and has vowed to one day regain it.