Taiwan has tracked dozens of Chinese warplanes and navy vessels off its coast on Friday.
This is the second day of a large military exercise launched by Beijing to show its anger over the self-governing island’s inauguration of new leaders who refuse to accept its insistence that Taiwan is part of China.
China has issued elaborate media statements showing Taiwan being surrounded by forces from its military, the People’s Liberation Army.
A new video showed animated Chinese forces approaching from all sides and Taiwan being enclosed within a circular target area while simulated missiles hit key population and military targets.
Despite that, there was little sign of concern among Taiwan’s 23 million people, who have lived under threat of Chinese invasion since the two sides split during a civil war in 1949.
Taiwan’s parliament was mired in a dispute between political parties over procedural measures, and business continued as usual in the bustling capital of Taipei and the ports of Keelong and Kaohsiung.
The defence ministry said it tracked 49 Chinese warplanes and 19 navy vessels, as well as coast guard vessels, and that 35 of the planes flew across the median line in the Taiwan Strait, the de facto boundary between the two sides, over a 24-hour period from Thursday into Friday.
Taiwanese marine and coast guard vessels along with air and ground-based missile units have been put on alert, particularly around the Taiwan-controlled island chains of Kinmen and Matsu just off China’s coast and far from Taiwan’s main island.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s new President, Lai Ching-te, said at a marine base in Taoyuan, just south of the capital, Taipei: “Facing external challenges and threats, we will continue to maintain the values of freedom and democracy.”
In his inauguration speech on Monday, Mr Lai urged Beijing to stop its military intimidation and said Taiwan was “a sovereign independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people”.
China’s military said its expanded exercises around Taiwan were punishment for separatist forces seeking independence.
It sends navy ships and warplanes into the Taiwan Strait and other areas around the island almost daily to wear down Taiwan’s defences and seek to intimidate its people, who firmly back their de facto independence.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said officials are following China’s drills closely.
He said: “We urge the relevant parties to refrain from acts that could escalate tensions in the region.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
