&w=1024&resize=1024,0&ssl=1 "China conducts new military exercises near Taiwan, warns against separatist activities – world news")
China's military launched a new round of war games near Taiwan on Monday, saying it was a warning against “separatist actions by Taiwanese independence forces” and giving no end date, condemning the Taipei government.
Democratically ruled Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has feared more war games since President Lai Ching-tae's National Day speech last week, which came after Beijing condemned Lai for saying that China they have no right to represent Taiwan, even though it has offered to cooperate with Beijing.
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The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese army announced that the “Joint Sword-2024B” exercise is underway in the Taiwan Strait and in the north, south and east of Taiwan.
“The exercise also serves as a stern warning against the separatist activities of the Taiwan Liberation Force. This operation is justified and necessary to protect state sovereignty and national unity,” the statement, written in Chinese and English, said.
The command released a map showing nine areas around Taiwan where the exercises took place – two on the island's east coast, three on the west coast, one in the north and three around a Taiwan-controlled island along the Chinese coast.
Chinese ships and aircraft are approaching Taiwan “at close range from various directions”, conducting combat readiness patrols at sea and in the air, blocking key ports and areas, attacking sea and land targets and “collectively gaining significant advantages,” the command said.
However, it did not announce any live fire exercises or any flying areas. In 2022, shortly after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China fired missiles at the island.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said China's recent war games and refusal to stop using force are “clear provocations” that have seriously damaged regional peace and stability.
Faced with more political, military and economic threats China has posed to Taiwan in recent days, Taiwan will not back down, Taiwan's China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.
“President Lai has already expressed his wishes in his National Day speech and is willing to take responsibility for maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait with the Chinese communists.”
Taiwan's defense ministry said it had sent its own forces.
The ministry added that Lai's National Day speech highlighted the current state of cross-Strait relations and the strong will to ensure peace and stability and future cooperation to address challenges such as climate change.
“The Chinese communists' claim of 'picking quarrels and stirring up trouble' is a complete departure from the truth,” he added.
A senior Taiwanese security official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said he believed China's practice was to block Taiwanese ports and international shipping lanes in the north and south of the island, as well as to repel the arrival of foreign forces. .
On Sunday, Taiwan said a group of Chinese aircraft carriers had passed south of the island through the strategic Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines and connects the South China Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
Since Thursday, Chinese state media has published a series of articles and comments condemning Lai's speech, and on Sunday, the Eastern Theater Command released a video stating that the ship is “ready for battle.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the War Games. Last week, the United States said China had no justification for using Lai's National Day speech as a pretext to exert military pressure.
China conducted a two-day “Joint Sword-2024A” exercise around Taiwan in May shortly after Lai took office, saying it was “punishing” him for separatist content in his inaugural speech.
Lai repeatedly offered negotiations with China, but these were rejected. He said only the people of Taiwan can determine their future and rejected Beijing's claims of sovereignty.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been modified by Business Standards staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
