China conducts military drills and calls them 'punishment' for Taiwan
Taiwan's authorities criticize China's military drills (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
China has described its military drills near Taiwan as a punishment for the island's leader, Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing accuses of persistently promoting separatism. In response, Taipei has condemned Beijing as a disruptor of regional stability, according to Reuters.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported that the Chinese military conducted joint combat readiness patrols twice - once in the morning and once in the afternoon. During these drills, 54 military aircraft, including J-10 fighter jets and drones, were deployed near Taiwan.
Chinese aircraft flew over the northern, western, southwestern, and eastern areas near the island. Among them, 42 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial buffer between the two sides. In response, Taiwan's air and naval forces were dispatched for monitoring.
A spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that if the administration of Lai Ching-te dares to provoke and play with fire, it will only lead to its own destruction.
The Taiwan Affairs Council remarked that Beijing continues to threaten the island militarily, escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait and destabilizing regional peace and stability. The Council labeled the Communist Party of China as a disturber of peace in all senses of the word and called on allied nations to stop China's military expansion.
Taiwan's security forces indicated that Beijing is attempting to normalize military drills near Taiwan, with such patrols occurring roughly every 7-10 days.
Last week, Lai stated that China has intensified its influence campaigns and infiltration efforts on the island, promising to take measures to counter Beijing's attempts to absorb Taiwan.
Taiwan-China relations
Relations between China and Taiwan have remained tense for several decades. Beijing considers Taiwan (Republic of China or Chinese Taipei) to be part of its territory and regularly threatens to use military force to bring the island under its control.
In recent years, China has intensified both military and political pressure on the island.
The Taiwanese government rejects Beijing's territorial claims and emphasizes that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future. President Lai Ching-te has repeatedly offered negotiations with China, but each time his proposals have been rejected.
In January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized China's coercive actions against Taiwan.
Earlier, China sharply criticized a US military aid package for Taiwan worth more than $500 million.
