China announces military exercises surrounding Taiwan aim to test its potential to take control.
The recent military exercises performed by China are the biggest in more than a year and were conducted shortly after Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, took office. Beijing strongly dislikes Lai due to his advocacy for Taiwan's sovereignty and unique identity.
In response to Lai's declaration for China to cease intimidation against Taiwan, Beijing labeled him a "dangerous separatist" and deemed his inauguration speech distasteful.
The Chinese military, vastly more powerful than Taiwan's, started these exercises on Thursday with warships and fighter jets circling Taiwan and its surrounding islands with the goal of punishing Taiwan's independent forces.
The PLA's Eastern Theater Command reported that on Friday, they would maintain the exercises on both sides of the island chain to test their ability to simultaneously capture power, launch attacks, and occupy vital areas.
The Chinese Communist Party regards Taiwan as being part of their territory even though they never controlled it. They have pledged to seize the island by force if required.
The majority of Taiwan's population has no wish to be under Chinese rule, but Xi, China's most authoritarian leader in a while, has made it clear that Taiwan's "inevitable reunification" with the mainland cannot be postponed indefinitely.
These two-day exercises, which involve collaboration between the Chinese army, navy, air force, and rocket force, are happening in the Taiwan Strait and in regions north, south, and east of Taiwan, according to the PLA.
For the first time, the PLA's drills involve China's Coast Guard, who are operating in the surrounding waters of Taiwan's outlying islands, such as Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin, which are situated close to southeastern China.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry strongly criticized China's military practices as "illogical provocation" and reacted by deploying its own sea, air, and ground forces.
From 6 a.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. Friday, the ministry recorded 49 Chinese jets, with 35 of them crossing the Median Line, an unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait that Beijing disregards but previously adhered to.
A total of 19 Chinese warships and 7 coast guard vessels were detected near the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry.
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The military exercises conducted by China in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding regions are a clear display of their assertiveness towards their claim over Taiwan, a key issue in Asia's geopolitical landscape.
These ongoing exercises highlight China's stance as a significant global player, potentially impacting the balance of power in the world.
Source: edition.cnn.com
