Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: China’s military has resumed rehearsing the ‘encirclement’ of Taiwan during three days of military drills, the media reported on Saturday.
Once again, Beijing reiterated that there is only One China and Taiwan is part of it, and called the operation a “stern warning” to the breakaway, democratically-ruled island’s government. Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, with its own constitution and leaders.
China’s military exercises began hours after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States, where she met US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in California, on Wednesday.
According to the Taiwanese Defence Ministry, 42 Chinese military planes and eight ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, which is an unofficial dividing line between Chinese and Taiwanese territories.
State-controlled Chinese media said the military drills would “simultaneously organize patrols and advances around Taiwan, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture.”
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers, and refuellers.
China sees the island as a breakaway province that will eventually be brought under Beijing’s control—by force if necessary. China’s President Xi Jinping has said “reunification” with Taiwan “must be fulfilled.”
For this purpose, China routinely holds threatening military drills around Taiwan.
President Tsai said on Saturday that her government would continue working with the US and other democracies as the island faces “continued authoritarian expansionism” from China.
She made the comments in a meeting with a US Congressional delegation in Taipei led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, who
said Washington was working to supply weapons to Taiwan, “not for war, but for peace.”
Taiwanese, however, are least concerned about the latest Chinese threats as they have gotten used to such empty threats and military maneuvers.
China’s latest operation around Taiwan, christened as “United Sharp Sword,” will run until Monday, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command said.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it would respond to China’s exercises “with a calm, rational, and serious attitude” based on the principle of “not escalating conflicts, nor causing disputes to defending our national sovereignty and security.”
In August 2022, China similarly carried out a week-long military drill around Taiwan after Kevin McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taipei.
The exercises included the deployment of fighter jets and warships and the firing of ballistic missiles.