Beijing/Taipei: The Chinese military on Thursday launched a two-day “punishment drills” surrounding Taiwan in retaliation for “separatist acts” after the self-ruled island’s new President Lai Ching-te rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims over it.
The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) started joint military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. Thursday.
The drills involved the People’s Liberation Army, navy, air force, and the rocket force, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.
Li Xi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theatre Command, which looks after the Taiwan Strait said, “The drills also serve as a strong punishment for the
separatist acts of “Taiwan independence” forces and a stern warning against the interference and provocation by external force”.
The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, the north, south and east of Taiwan Island,
as well as areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin.
The Taiwan Defence Ministry said it has dispatched aircraft, warships, and kept ready shore-based missile systems to respond accordingly in response to PLA drills.
The Armed Forces adopted joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to uphold strict vigilance, it said.
Lai, 64, also known as William Lai, who succeeded his independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) colleague
Tsai Ing-wen after winning the popular vote in the January Presidential election this year, was sworn in as the president at a ceremony held in Taipei on Monday.
In his no-holds-barred inaugural speech, Lai called on China to stop threatening the island, promised to uphold the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and said his government would
adhere to the four commitments (of national sovereignty, democracy, and freedom) and maintain the status quo without being overbearing or servile.
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Thursday defended the joint military drills surrounding Taiwan as legitimate and necessary and
fully in line with international law and practice.