Last minute: China did as it was told and started the great Taiwan blockade this morning. Announcing that it will conduct ‘real-time’ exercises in 6 regions around Taiwan, it was announced that China started large-scale military naval and air exercises around the island at 7:00 this morning. While the televisions went live with the start of the exercise, the photos from the region are causing concern.
THE ISLAND IS UNDER SIege
In the exercise map published by Beijing state media, it was seen that the island was completely surrounded. While navy ships and military planes were said to have taken off on Thursday morning, it was announced that about 10 Chinese navy ships passed through the Taiwan Strait and remained in the area from Wednesday night until noon on Thursday.
THEY TAKING ACTION
It was alleged that a large number of Chinese military aircraft passed through the area briefly on Thursday morning, missile systems were deployed near the line to monitor Chinese air force activities, and Taiwanese navy ships remained close to the median line to monitor Chinese navy activities.
DOES NOT STEP BACK
It was reported that the Beijing administration did not want any foreign aircraft or ships to enter the field during the exercise. Beijing doesn’t seem to back down, although Taiwan says the exercises violated United Nations rules and amounted to an official ‘blockade’.
TENSION IN TAIWAN skies! “IMMEDIATELY FIRED”
On the other hand, Taiwanese Major General Chang Zone-sung, speaking to Reuters, said that Chinese drones entered the Kinmen region at 21:00 and 22:00 local time last night.
Zone-sung said that his soldiers fired flares to warn them immediately and to keep the UAVs away.
“We have a standard operating procedure. If they come in, we’ll reciprocate.”
USA: WHAT WE SEE MUCH EXCEEDS 1995 AND 1996
Stephen Yates, former deputy national security adviser to US Vice President Dick Cheney, said the blockade was the most provocative action taken by Beijing since the end of the civil war and the founding of the People’s Republic of China, referring to the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, “1995 and It definitely far exceeds what we saw in 1996,” he said.
Yates also cited suspected cyberattacks launched by Chinese hackers on Taiwan’s President’s Office website, 7-Eleven markets, and Taiwan Railways Administration in retaliation for Pelosi’s visit. He added that China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan will continue for a while.