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The Chinese military announced it would conduct live-fire drills until 6 PM local time, targeting the maritime and aerial zones around Taiwan and near China’s coast.
Since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, which saw Communist forces seize control of mainland China while Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan, the two regions have been separately governed.
Beijing pledged to implement “forceful measures” following Taipei’s announcement that the United States, its primary security ally, had sanctioned an arms deal worth $11 billion USD (approximately $16.4 billion AUD) with the island.
China recently criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over her comments suggesting that Tokyo might consider a military response if force is used against Taiwan.
The military exercises also emphasize enhancing combat readiness in both sea and air operations, aiming to achieve “comprehensive” dominance over adversaries and deter potential threats beyond the Taiwanese archipelago.
What do the drills involve?
They also focus on combat readiness patrols on sea and in the air, seizing “comprehensive” control over adversaries, and deterring aggression beyond the Taiwanese island chain.
Agence France-Presse journalists stationed at China’s closest point to Taiwan saw at least 10 rockets blast into the air on Tuesday morning.
How has Taiwan responded?
President Lai Ching-te said China’s drills were “absolutely not the actions a responsible major power should take”.
“No, nothing worries me. They’ve been doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area.”
How often does this happen?
This time, Beijing is emphasising “keeping foreign forces that might intervene at a distance from Taiwan”, said Chieh Chung, a military expert at the island’s Tamkang University.
