China begins a three-day military exercise in the Taiwan Strait, Beijing announces. Eight Chinese warships and 42 warplanes have been spotted around the island, according to Taipei. The goal is stated to be to practice combat readiness. According to Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese military, the exercise is a sharp warning to the “separatist forces seeking Taiwan’s independence” and also to “external forces and their provocative activities”. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen responded to the announcement by stating that the self-governing island will continue to cooperate with “the United States and other like-minded countries to jointly defend freedom and democracy.” – In recent years, we have been faced with continued authoritarian expansionism, says the president, referring to the threat from China. The summit provoked China Earlier this week, Tsai Ing-Wen met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. The meeting has angered China, which sees Taiwan as part of Mainland China and perceives any communication between the US and Taiwan as a provocation. The Ministry of Defense in Taipei states that China’s military exercise threatens the stability of the region. According to a statement, China is “using President Tsai’s visit to the United States as an excuse to conduct military exercises that seriously threaten the peace, stability and security of the region”.
t4-general
Chinese warships and warplanes around Taiwan
