BEIJING: China warned on Friday of war over Taiwan and said it would ramp up countermeasures until “complete reunification” was achieved, as Chinese forces conducted military drills around the self-ruled island.
On the next day of activities Beijing claimed were a check of its ability to seize the area, days after its new leader was sworn in, warships and fighter jets surrounded Taiwan.
China’s military began the two-day war games on Thursday night, encircling democratic Taiwan with marine ships and military aircraft as it promised the heart of “independence causes” on the island had move.
Three times after Lai Ching-te’s opening statement, which China denounced as a” revelation of independence,” was released, the tasks were first staged.
Wu Qian, a spokeswoman for Beijing’s defense department, stated on Friday that Lai “has severely challenged the one-China principle,” leading to the danger of war and danger for Taiwan’s citizens.
” Every occasion ‘ Taiwan independence ‘ encourages us, we may drive our measures one step further, until the complete reconciliation of the country is achieved”, he said.
The exercises are a part of China’s growing battle of intimidation, which includes holding a number of large-scale military activities around Taiwan in recent years.
They are testing the” capability of joint seizure of power, joint strikes and control of key territories”, Li Xi, spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) Eastern Theater Command, said on Friday.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, fighter jet loaded with live ammunition rushed toward targets and aircraft formed formations with warships to model” strikes against significant targets”.
On Friday night, Taiwan’s defence ministry said a total of 62 Chinese aircraft had been detected around the island since 7: 14 am ( 2314 GMT Thursday ), the highest number of aircraft seen this year in a 24- hour window.
Additionally, the government found 27 boats carrying the coast guard and the navy in the nearby waters.
After a civil war, China, which split with Taiwan 75 years previously, views the island as a renegade province that needs to be later reunited.
The Taiwan Strait has long been one of the most dangerous outposts in the world, and recent events have sparked fears that China may use military power to bring the beach under coast law.
The United States, Taiwan’s strongest ally and military backer,” strongly” urged China on Thursday to act with restraint. The UN urged everyone to stay calm and prevent escalation.
‘ Common roots ‘
As the drills, codenamed” Joint Sword- 2024A,” began, China declared that they would constitute” strong punishment” for the separatist deeds of” Taiwan independence” forces.
Soldiers eluded a building to battle stations in footage captured by China’s military, who later captured footage of jets evoking a rousing martial beat.
Chinese sailors reportedly warned their Taiwanese counterparts against “resisting reunification by force” when they called out to them at sea.
In an animated video released by the Chinese military, missiles were seen gliding down on important targets on the island, declaring that it would” cut off the blood vessels for Taiwan independence”!
Visitors clambered over the rocky landscape at a tourist park on Pingtan, a Chinese island in the Taiwan Strait, as pop music blared from a loudspeaker at nearby tea shops.
Others posed for pictures in front of a sign proclaiming” the closest distance between the motherland and Taiwan island”, 68 nautical miles ( 126 kilometres ) away.
” We share common roots”, Chen Yan, a 60- year- old woman from Wuhan, told AFP about Taiwan.
” So I think there will definitely be unification”, she added.
‘ Heads broken’
China has repeatedly branded Lai a “dangerous separatist” who would bring “war and decline” to the island.
In a speech on Thursday, Lai said he would” stand on the front line” to defend Taiwan, without directly referring to the drills.
Beijing was incensed by his inauguration speech on Monday, in which he hailed a “glorious” era for Taiwan’s democracy.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, issued a warning on Thursday that included language that is more frequently used by China’s propaganda outlets.
After colliding with the great… trend of China becoming completely unification, the Taiwan independence forces will be left with their heads broken and blood flowing, Wang said.
Beijing’s Xinhua news agency and ruling party organ the People’s Daily ran editorials hailing the drills on Friday, while slamming Lai’s” treacherous behaviour” and promising a” severe blow”.
The drills are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island, as well as areas around the Taipei- administered islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin.
Beijing has stated that the drills will continue until Friday, but analysts predict that it may choose to extend the war games or launch missiles close to Taiwan, as it did after Nancy Pelosi, the then-US House Speaker, visited the island in 2022.
Taipei’s defence ministry said the Chinese military had gotten within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan’s main island.
Four Chinese vessels entered two Taiwanese islands ‘ “restricted waters” as a result of a report from the country’s coast guard on Friday as two other vessels nearby offered support.
