Taiwan blames ‘troubleshooter’ China for massive naval exercises near coasts military news
The Defense Ministry says it tracked 53 Chinese military aircraft and 11 naval ships in 24 hours.
Taiwan’s president has called on China to stop its “provocative acts” after officials on the self-ruled island accused Chinese forces of stepping up military exercises on its doorstep.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday it had tracked 53 military aircraft, 11 navy ships and eight civilian ships near the island in the past 24 hours.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said, “These actions create uncertainty and risk in the region, cause disruption to neighboring countries, and reaffirm China’s trouble-making that undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.” “
Asked about the increase in military activity, a Chinese government spokesman did not directly confirm the new drills, but said Beijing was taking “necessary measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and counter” separatist Taiwan forces. ” doing.
“We will not let things get out of control at all,” Zhu Fenglian, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news briefing on Wednesday.
“We take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and safeguard the fundamental interests of compatriots on both sides.”
‘Trying to draw a red line’
China, which views democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, was expected to express its anger over Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te’s stop in the United States during a recent tour of the Pacific nation. Will start practicing for.
Taiwan rejects Beijing’s claims to sovereignty over the island, saying only its people can decide their future.
Its military put its forces on high alert on Monday and warned the next day that China was deploying its largest naval fleet in territorial waters in nearly three decades.
A senior Taiwanese security official, offering the government’s assessment of China’s activities, told a briefing in Taipei that at this time of year, when sea conditions are typically rough, escalated maritime operations are “extremely rare.” Were, and were probably meant to send a message. To the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump and US allies.
“They are trying to draw a red line and assert authority for the new owner of the White House,” Reuters news agency quoted the official as saying.
China has already held two major war games this year near Taiwan, which faces the constant threat of military attack and relies heavily on US arms sales for its security.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, visiting a US base in Japan on Wednesday, said the US was keeping an eye on China’s “latest activity” and would ensure that “no one does anything to change the status quo in the (Taiwan) strait.” Don’t do it”.
“Again, our policy has not changed,” Austin said. “We will continue to make every effort to help Taiwan acquire the means to defend itself.”
