Answer to China: Taiwan holds live-fire artillery drills simulating defense
New Delhi: China’s Calculations to disturb the peace and stability of Taiwan by doing a military exercise near the Taiwan border have failed as the island country replied massively by holding a live-fire artillery drill on Tuesday. Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which views its neighbor as part of Chinese territory to be reclaimed one day, by force if necessary.
According to the media report, Taiwan’s military began a live-fire artillery drill on August 9 simulating the defense of the island against an attack after days of massive Chinese military exercises.
Lou Woei-jye, a spokesman for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps, confirmed that the drills had started in the southern county of Pingtung shortly after 0040 GMT (8.40 am Singapore time) with the firing of target flares and artillery, ending within an hour at 0130 GMT.
Taipei’s drills, taking place on Tuesday and Thursday, will include the deployment of hundreds of troops and about 40 howitzers, the army said.
As the last round of cannon was fired, Taiwanese soldiers were heard shouting “mission accomplished.”
China launched its largest-ever war games around Taiwan last week in a furious response to a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the self-ruled island in decades.
Ahead of Tuesday’s drill, Taipei condemned Beijing for carrying on with its military exercises around the island. “China’s provocation and aggression have harmed the status quo of the Taiwan Strait and raised tensions in the region,” the island’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
(Vinayak)
