China’s military announced a fresh round of military drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, two days after it was scheduled to complete its largest-ever exercises to protest United States (US) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island.
In a press release on Tuesday, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command announced that it is “continuing to organise joint combat exercises and training in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Island […] with emphasis on joint blockade and joint support operations.”
#China on Monday expressed firm opposition to certain countries' attempt to distort, obscure and hollow out the #oneChinaprinciple, calling such practices illegal as well as null and void. #Taiwan pic.twitter.com/dtEiO6fmOY
— Voice of the People (@VoiceofPD) August 9, 2022
Similarly, the PLA unit said in another press release on Monday that it will continue “to carry out joint combat training exercises in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island, mainly focusing on the joint anti-submarine and air-to-sea assault operations.”
Referring to the extension of the previously announced schedule, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during his regular press conference on Monday that the extended drills aimed to send “a warning to the perpetrator” and punish the “Taiwan independence” forces. “We will firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolutely stop the US’s attempt to play the “Taiwan card” to contain China, and shatter the Taiwan authorities’ wishful thinking to pursue “Taiwan independence” by soliciting the support of the US,” Wang said.
China-Taiwan Crisis Coverage:
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- US House Speaker Pelosi Hints at Cancellation of Taiwan Trip Following China’s Threats
- Pelosi Wraps Up Singapore Visit as Beijing Turns Up Heat on Taiwan
- China Announces Live Fire Drills Near Taiwan as Pelosi Makes Historic Visit to Island
- White House Once Again Refuses to Back Pelosi’s Historic Taiwan Visit
- China Fires Ballistic Missiles Over Taiwan as It Escalates Response to Pelosi Visit
- China Suspends Critical Cooperation Measures With US in Response to Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit
Commenting on the extension, Chinese state-owned media house Global Times quoted unnamed experts saying that “drills like these will not stop” and will most likely “become routine until reunification,” as the Chinese mainland is determined “to push forward the reunification process.”
GT’s analysts further expounded on the significance of the drills, saying that they “not only lock the island from inside out, but also from the outside in,” warning “external forces” that the PLA possesses “powerful area denial capabilities in the region that even the US cannot rival.”
Meanwhile, Taiwan also staged an artillery drill on Tuesday simulating a defence against a possible attack by China. Lou Woei-jye, the spokesperson for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps, reported that the island’s drill started in Pingtung shortly after 8:40 am local time and ended just under an hour later at 9:30 am. However, Lou told AFP that the drills were “routine,” had been pre-scheduled, and did not take place in response to the PLA’s drills.
#UPDATE Taiwan is holding an artillery drill Tuesday simulating a defence against an attack as its top diplomat accuses Beijing of preparing to invade the island after days of massive Chinese war gameshttps://t.co/Txpu1RNVhQ pic.twitter.com/6V8XHb6rcj
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 9, 2022
Furthermore, its Ministry of National Defence detected 13 PLA vessels and 39 PLA aircraft around its waters and airspace on Monday, 21 of which flew past the eastern part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait and the southwestern defence identification zone.
As part of its other countermeasures against the US’ provocation, China also announced the suspension of a series of coordination measures with the US. In a press release on Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that it is taking strict countermeasures to express its “strong opposition” to the high-level visit, cancelling the: Theatre Commanders Talk, Defence Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT), and the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) meetings. It also suspended cooperation regarding the repatriation of illegal immigrants, legal assistance in criminal matters, transnational crimes, counternarcotics, and climate change.
FM Wang Yi: China's response is legitimate, necessary, open and proportionate. They are aimed at safeguarding China's sovereignty&territorial integrity, stopping the US' attempt to use Taiwan to contain China, shattering Taiwan authorities' fantasy to pursue Taiwan independence.
— Yu Dunhai (@YDunhai) August 9, 2022
Commenting on Beijing’s reaction, Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian, said on Monday that the US must “bear full responsibility for the serious consequences” of its actions. He added that the countermeasures were “completely reasonable and appropriate” and “a necessary warning” to the US as well as the Taiwan secessionist forces.
China’s increased aggression against the island has given rise to fears that Beijing may attempt to reunify the island with the mainland sooner than the 2027 target that experts have predicted.