China has just completed two days of military maneuvers around Taiwan. Called “Glaive uni 2024A”, these large-scale operations have been described as “ punishment » by Beijing, three days after the inauguration of the new Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Taipei, Adrien Simorre
China heard stage one’s discontent following the election of President WIlliam Lai. It’s done. The Chinese army successfully completed » the exercises named « Seal Sword-2024A » (uni sword 2024A) directed against Taiwan, declared Friday evening a presenter from CCTV-7, the Chinese state television responsible for military news.
Thursday morning May 24, Beijing begins military maneuvers in nine areas all around Taiwan, some of which are located a few dozen kilometers from the Taiwanese coast. Since then, the Taiwanese military has detected 111 Chinese aircraft and 34 military ships around its territory. These exercises aimed to demonstrate the Chinese army’s ability to besiege the island or strike strategic targets in Taiwan, Chinese state media reported.
These maneuvers are a first test for President Lai Ching-te, who visited a military base on Thursday. “ We will continue to defend our values of freedom and democracy, and protect peace in the region “, he assured. The United States, Taipei’s main arms supplier, but also the European Union, have officially condemned these maneuvers.
A ” blatant provocation » with regard to the international order
The two-day military maneuvers carried out by China around Taiwan are a “ blatant provocation against the international order “, declared the spokesperson for the Taiwanese presidency in a press release on Saturday.
The intensity of these exercises nevertheless remains below those organized after the arrival of Nancy Pelosi in August 2022. No live ammunition firing has, for example, been carried out, assures the Taiwanese Minister of Defense.
According to Taiwanese military experts, China would seek to normalize these exercises. Large-scale maneuvers could now take place at regular intervals.