According to state broadcaster CCTV, China practiced attacks on important targets on the island on the second day of its three-day military maneuvers around Taiwan. The military has simulated “joint precision strikes” against “key targets on the island of Taiwan and in the surrounding waters” as part of its military maneuvers, CCTV reported. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense discovered nine warships and 58 military aircraft around the island on Sunday. The United States had previously called on Beijing to exercise restraint in view of the military exercise.
Chinese broadcaster CCTV reported that Beijing used dozens of army planes to “fly into the targeted airspace.” Ground troops also carried out exercises with “precision strikes with multiple targets”.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the Chinese military planes spotted around the island as of 12:00 p.m. local time (6:00 a.m. CEST) are both fighter jets and bombers. Chinese military movements would be monitored by a joint surveillance and reconnaissance system.
A spokesman for the US State Department had previously said in light of the maneuvers that Washington is closely monitoring China’s actions. “We have always called for restraint and not to change the status quo,” he added. The communication channels with Beijing remained open. At the same time, the ministry spokesman emphasized that the US “has sufficient resources and capabilities in the region to ensure peace and stability and to fulfill our national security obligations”.
The US has been helping Taiwan build up its defense capabilities for decades, but has not explicitly committed to providing military assistance to the island in the event of an attack. The United States, on the other hand, has signed a defense pact with other countries in the region, including Japan.
Taipei is under increasing pressure from Beijing. Since the split between China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has viewed the island as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland – if necessary using military force.
China’s army described the three-day military exercise near Taiwan as a “warning” to “separatist forces”. According to Chinese state media, the encirclement of Taiwan will also be practiced. Taipei condemned the maneuver and accused Beijing of endangering regional security.
The exercise comes days after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited the United States, who met Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday.
Tsai accused Beijing of “authoritarian expansionism” on Saturday. She clarified that Taiwan “will continue to work with the United States and other countries (…) to defend the values ??of freedom and democracy.”
