China launches second day of military drills around Taiwan

[ad_1]

China kicked off a second day of live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and assaults on maritime targets.

The two-day war games, code-named “Justice Mission 2025”, started on Monday and were slammed by Taipei as “military intimidation” by Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy.

AFP journalists in Pingtan – a Chinese island that is the closest point to Taiwan’s main island – saw a volley of rockets blasting into the air on Tuesday morning at around 9am (01:00 GMT), leaving trails of white smoke.

At least 10 rockets were launched, seconds apart from one another, each sending a booming sound reverberating throughout Pingtan as they soared across the sky.

Tourists rushed towards wooden barricades overlooking the sea, whipping out their phones to snap photos and videos of the rockets.

Shortly after, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement: “At 9am, December 30, the ground forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted long-range live fire drills in the waters to the north of the Taiwan Island and achieved desired effects.”

A flight information display board shows cancelled flights at Taipei's Songshan Airport. More than 100,000 passengers were expected to be affected by flight disruptions as a result of China's military — A flight information display board shows cancelled flights at Taipei’s Songshan Airport. More than 100,000 passengers were expected to be affected by flight disruptions as a result of China’s military drills. © Cheng Yu-chen, AFP

The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States – Taiwan’s main security backer – and comments from Japan’s prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.

Beijing warned on Monday that “external forces” arming Taipei would “push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war”, but did not mention any countries by name.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday said any attempts to stop China’s unification with Taiwan were “doomed to fail”.

Read moreChina launches second day of military drills around Taiwan

‘Live-fire training’

China said on Tuesday morning it had deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters and bombers “to conduct drills on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, simulated strikes, assault on maritime targets, as well as anti-air and anti-submarine operations”.

China's military drills around Taiwan. — China’s military drills around Taiwan. © Paz Pizarro, Janis Latvels, Jonathan Walter, AFP

The statement from the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command said the exercises in the waters to the north and south of the Taiwan Island “tested capabilities of sea-air coordination and integrated blockade and control”.

On Monday military spokesman Shi Yi said the drills were “a stern warning against ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces, and … a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a “blockade” of key Taiwanese ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place. They are due to finish at 6pm (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Taiwan said China’s designated exercise zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have affected international shipping and aviation routes.

A Chinese ship is seen in waters near Pingtan island, the closest point to Taiwan, on Monday. © Adek Berry, AFP

The island’s government condemned China’s “disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries”, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said.

Its defence ministry said on Tuesday it had detected 130 Chinese military aircraft near the island in a 24-hour period, as well as 14 Chinese navy ships and eight unspecified government vessels in the 24 hours ending 6am (22:00 GMT on Monday).

The drills by China’s ruling Communist Party “further confirm its nature as an aggressor, making it the greatest destroyer of peace”, Taipei’s defence ministry said.

‘Stern warning’

Beijing’s military released a poster about Tuesday’s drills showing muscular arms – tattooed in China flags – gripping hammers and beating the north and south of Taiwan island.

A pair of Chinese JH-7A fighter-bomber aircraft flew over the Taiwan Strait on Monday. © Adek Berry, AFP

China’s military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April – surprise manoeuvres condemned by Taipei.

Beijing said this month it would take “resolute and forceful measures” to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved a major $11 billion arms sale.

Read moreChina threatens ‘forceful measures’ over $11.1 billion US arms sales package to Taiwan

On Monday afternoon, AFP reporters in Pingtan saw two fighter jets soaring across the sky and a Chinese military vessel in the distance.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

[ad_2]

Source link