China kicked off, this Saturday, 8, military exercises that should last 3 days on the outskirts of Taiwan, according to military spokesman Shi Yi. The objective of the training would be “to alert against the collusion and provocation of the separatist forces of Taiwan’s independence” – in clear allusion to the exercises promoted by the United States recently.
Since the beginning of the Chinese exercises, the Taiwan Ministry of Defense informed that 13 aircraft and 6 ships from the neighboring country crossed the center line of the Strait of the self-governing island. The body stressed that it carries out defense of the area with aircraft, ships and land-mounted missile systems to monitor the movements of the Chinese army.
China’s move comes after the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared it would take “resolute and forceful measures” regarding the United States’ meeting with Taiwan. The meeting held during the week, on the occasion, the Speaker of the US House, Kevin McCarthy, received the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said there was “collusion” between Washington and Taiwan to get independence forces separatists involved in US political activities.
Ning said that “wherever the US military goes, what they leave behind is a mess full of turmoil, division and scars” and suggested that the US military expansion could bring “grave and uncontrollable consequences”.
On Tuesday the 4th, China advised McCarthy not to “repeat the disastrous mistakes of the past” when meeting with Tsai Ing-wen. The statement referenced then-Mayor Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August 2022.. At the time, the communist dictatorship was against the congresswoman going to the island.
During the day, the Chinese army released footage of the start of military exercises.
#PLA deployment for ongoing patrols and #drills around #Taiwan island:
-Army: long-range rocket artilleries
-Navy: destroyers, frigates, missile boats
-Air Force: fighters, bombers, electronic warfare aircraft, aerial tankers
-Rocket Force: conventional missiles pic.twitter.com/Ll8iP4t13a— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 8, 2023