Photo by Katniss:
Taiwan issued a strong condemnation on Thursday regarding China’s military drills, following Beijing’s announcement of a designated area for shooting exercises off the southwestern coast of the self-governing island. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that may be forcibly reclaimed if deemed necessary, and in recent years, it has escalated its military presence in the waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan.
According to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry, China is the primary disruptor of regional peace and stability, representing the most significant threat to tranquility in both the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Additionally, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry reported that within a 24-hour timeframe, it had detected 45 aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and one ship from the Chinese military operating in proximity to Taiwan, with 34 of these incursions occurring within its territorial waters and airspace.
This follows Taiwan’s announcement that four Chinese coast guard vessels entered its territorial waters near Kinmen Island earlier this week, prompting Taiwan to deploy its own vessels to escort them away.
According to Xinhua, the state-run news agency of China, senior Chinese official Wang Huning, during an annual meeting focused on Taiwan, urged China to take proactive measures in cross-strait relations and to advance the reunification of the homeland. Additionally, Taiwan reported this week that it apprehended a Chinese-owned ship that was found to be severing an undersea cable and subsequently detained the vessel. In response, Beijing has accused Taiwan of inflating the situation prior to the establishment of clear facts, suggesting that it is an attempt at political manipulation.
