Over the weekend, China’s military initiated joint air and sea patrols around Taiwan, coinciding with the conclusion of a significant summit at Camp David involving leaders from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. The summit aimed to strengthen their alliances.
Shi Yi, the spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command, stated that these patrols and exercises have the purpose of enhancing the coordination of military aircraft and ships, as well as their capacity to establish control over air and sea territories. Shi emphasized that these maneuvers will assess the Chinese military’s readiness to operate effectively in actual combat scenarios.
Shi further remarked that these patrols and exercises should be perceived as a strong message against the collaboration between ‘Taiwan independence’ proponents and foreign influences, as well as their provocative actions.
China’s ruling Communist Party lays claim to Taiwan, a self-governed and democratic island, as part of its territory despite never having governed it. The Party has committed to asserting control over Taiwan, even if it requires the use of force.
These patrols were initiated shortly after China’s foreign minister criticized Taiwan’s vice president and presidential candidate, William Lai. The criticism arose after Lai passed through the United States en route to Paraguay, which is Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in South America. China views such visits by Taiwan’s leaders to the US as undermining its claims to sovereignty over the island.
These military drills also coincide with a historic trilateral summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, where leaders from South Korea and Japan participated. The summit was motivated by their shared concerns about China. Following the summit, the leaders agreed to deepen both military and economic cooperation and condemned China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.
In response to China’s announcement of the drills around Taiwan, Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned Beijing’s actions as irrational and provocative. The ministry pledged to deploy troops to safeguard Taiwan’s democratic freedom and sovereignty. It criticized China for conducting military exercises under such pretexts, arguing that these actions undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and reflect China’s militaristic intentions.
China has been intensifying military pressure on Taiwan in recent months, frequently dispatching warplanes and warships toward the island. Incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone have become a regular occurrence. Taiwan’s defense ministry criticized the Chinese Communist Party for jeopardizing regional security through these continual provocations.
Despite lacking formal diplomatic ties, the United States strongly supports Taiwan and serves as a major supplier of weapons to the island. This support is a key aspect of their international relationship.
(Source: Irene Nasser | Kathleen Magramo | CNN)
