China has concluded a two-day military exercise in the vicinity of Taiwan, during which warships and jets carrying live ammunition practiced capturing and sealing off the self-governing island.
Chinese military analysts told state media that the drills replicated strikes aimed at Taiwan’s leaders, ports, and airports in an effort to “cut off the island’s ‘blood vessels'”.
Beijing has not ruled out using force to subjugate the democratic island, viewing it as part of its territory.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, the war drills began on Thursday morning when military planes and boats encircled Taiwan in preparation for simulated attacks on “important targets.”
Codenamed “Joint Sword-2024A”, the exercises were launched three days after Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te took office and made an inauguration speech that China denounced as a “confession of independence”.
Beijing’s defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Friday that Lai was pushing Taiwan “into a perilous situation of war and danger”.
“Every time ‘Taiwan independence’ provokes us, we will push our countermeasures one step further, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved,” he said.
Since 1949, when nationalists were driven off the mainland after a civil war by the Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan has been ruled independently.
The exercises are a part of China’s increasing intimidation campaign, which has seen Beijing conduct many major military drills in and near Taiwan in recent years.
Beijing has also increased the volume of its rhetoric; on Thursday, the foreign ministry used terminology that was more like to that of China’s propaganda media.
“Taiwan independence forces will be left with their heads broken and blood flowing after colliding against the great… trend of China achieving complete unification,” spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.
On Saturday, Taiwan’s presidency said the public could be assured it had “a full grasp of the situation and appropriate responses to ensure national security”.
“China’s recent unilateral provocation not only undermines the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait but it is also a blatant provocation to the international order,” Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said.
