The Chinese Navy surprises Taiwan and this is the island’s military response

He Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command To carry out this, on Monday organized its troops from Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force. Exercise “Combined Sword-2024B” The Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of the island. As a result, Taiwan has deployed its military to “protect” its sovereignty against Beijing’s maneuvers and condemned it.“Irrational and provocative behavior” Chinese,

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced that it is “on alert” after detecting a group of Chinese aircraft carriers in the south of the island this Sunday. it’s about Liaoning aircraft carrier, entered the water near Bashi ChannelWhich connects the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean and separates Taiwan from the Philippines. Authorities believe the Chinese ship is entering the western Pacific. For its part, the Taiwanese Coast Guard Several patrol boats deployed in the presence of Chinese ships In the area around the island.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army released a propaganda video on its social media account a few hours ago with the title, “Fully prepared and waiting for the right moment before fighting.” shows video Fighter jets and warships are working together, mobile missile launchers are being moved into place and amphibious assault vehicles are being deployed.

“This is a legitimate and necessary operation to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity,” said Captain Li Xi, a spokesman for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command.

usa has condemned China’s military exercises, calling the move “inappropriate and risks escalating tensions”, while calling on Beijing to exercise restraint. “The United States is seriously concerned about the joint military exercises of the People’s Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller warned in a statement, referring to the Chinese military.

According to a video published today by the People’s Liberation Army, with these maneuvers, China wants to “consolidate the chain” on the island, as well as demonstrate its ability to “counter any separatist attempt.”

In response to the latest statements of Taiwan’s President William Lai is considered a separatist by Beijing, PLA Eastern Theater of Operations Command gave this warning “Every provocation to freedom will meet with a strong response.” According to the Chinese armed forces, the exercises directly target Taiwan’s independence and are a warning to the island’s authorities.

Similarly, Professor Zhang Chi of the National Defense University, in the PLA’s official website on the Weibo social network – similar to X – says These operations exert “unprecedented pressure”, limiting Taiwan’s defenses and bringing PLA forces closer to the island from multiple directions. “The three-pronged fence demonstrates our ability to deal with any separatist attempt,” he says.

The Eastern Theater Command stressed that its troops were ready for action at any time, and warned that any attempts at independence would be crushed. “Reunification is inevitable, and efforts at partition will be destroyed”He made the announcement on his official Weibo account.

The maneuvers come in response to Lai’s statements during Taiwan’s National Day celebrations last week, where he reaffirmed the island’s sovereignty, saying it is a land of “freedom” and “democracy” and not subject to China. . In the days before his speech, Lai sparked controversy by saying that Taiwan is a “sovereign and independent country”. and that it was impossible to consider the People’s Republic of China the “motherland” of the Taiwanese.

Today marks the fifth time that China has resorted to such maneuvers since 2022, when it first conducted such maneuvers in response to the visit of Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, to Taiwan, which angered Beijing and Tensions across the strait rose to levels not seen in decades.

This island is one of Main reasons for tension between China and AmericaSince the North American country is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and can intervene to protect it in the event of a conflict. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, considering the territory a “rebel province” since Kuomintang nationalists retreated there after losing a war against Communist forces in 1949.

Taiwanese President’s response

He Taiwan’s president, sovereigntist William Laiassured this Monday that his government “Will continue to defend the constitutional system of freedom and democracy” Hours after China announced military maneuvers around the island, Taiwan faced “external threats”. “The military exercises launched by China are aimed at undermining the peace and stability situation in the region and continue to use military force against neighboring countries, which is not in line with the expectations of the international community,” the President said. Official Facebook account.

With information from EFE and AFP