China: Army continues military drills around Taiwan despite Western warnings

China continued on Monday military training about Taiwanignoring calls from the West and Japan to stop the largest military maneuvers in its history around the island, which it considers part of its territory.

“The People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) continued to execute practical joint exercises and exercises in the sea and airspace around the island of Taiwan, with a focus on conducting joint submarine and maritime strike operations,” the Chinese Eastern Command said in a statement.

China began live firing in six major areas around Taiwan on Thursday, the day after the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosimade on the island.

The exercise was originally scheduled to end at 04:00 GMT on Sunday afternoon, according to China’s Maritime Safety Administration.

But on Sunday, neither China nor Taiwan confirmed their conclusionalthough the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation mentioned partial reduction.

The text of the EPL does not specify in which areas the maneuvers are carried out and whether they are carried out by “real shots”.

warnings

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkencondemned on Saturday “complete disproportion” Chinese response and issued a joint statement with their Japanese and Australian counterparts calling on China to stop the military exercises.

On Monday, Taiwan criticized China for extending military exercises.

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs sentence firmly China’s decision to extend its military exercises. Chinese provocation and aggression have disrupted the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and increased tension in the area,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

In response to Pelosi’s visit, China suspended cooperation with the US in several key areas, including combating climate change and defense issues.

This was announced by the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Wang Wenbindid not formally confirm the organization of new exercises, but emphasized that his country’s response was “legal, rational and legitimate”.

“It warning troublemakers, as well as supporters independence Taiwan,” he stressed in a regular press briefing in which he defended “transparent and professional” military maneuvers.

“We call on the United States to examine its conscience and correct your mistake as soon as possible (…), as well as stop playing the Taiwan card to hinder (development of) China,” he added.

During the exercise, China deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles around Taiwan, which analysts believe is a mock blockade and invasion of the island.

Taiwanese response

Taiwan Prime Minister Su Tseng ChangSunday’s assessment that “China’s brutal use of military force shakes the world and stability.”

The island’s army has remained alert during all these Chinese maneuvers and announced this Monday that it will organize this week your own exercises with real shots.

Taiwanese forces will practice before landing on Tuesday and Thursday in the southern region of Pingtung. Several hundred soldiers and several 40 guns will be deployed for these exercises, according to the same source.

According to the Taiwanese military, these exercises are already planned and are not a response to China.

According to experts, the exercises show that the Chinese military is increasingly capable of implementing a hard blockade of Taiwan, as well as prevent the arrival of US troops, calculated by the experts.

“In some areas, their capabilities may even outperform the US”, he told AFP. Grant NewshamJapan Strategic Studies Forum researcher and former US Navy officer.

“If the (future) battle is limited to the area around Taiwan, the Chinese fleet is a dangerous adversary, and if the Americans and Japanese do not intervene for some reason, it will be very difficult for Taiwan,” he added.

Taiwan, an island of 23 million people, is estimated by China to be a province that it has not yet been able to reunite with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War (1949). (AFP)