Taiwan said that over the past two weeks, China conducted military exercises near the island in which dozens of fighters, drones, other aircraft and bombers participated, in addition to warships and the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong.
In response to a question from reporters on the sidelines of Parliament about the possibility of an accidental incident sparking a broader conflict given the recurrence of Chinese activities, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said, “This is a matter that greatly concerns us.”
“The risks of activities involving aircraft, ships and weapons will increase, and both sides must pay attention,” Cheng explained.
According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense, China usually conducts large-scale exercises in the period from July to September.
The ministry reported on Saturday that China had largely halted its training, and stated that it had only observed two Chinese aircraft operating in the air defense zone during the past 24 hours.
Taiwan has repeatedly said that it will remain calm and not escalate the situation, but will not allow “repeated provocations” from China, whose forces have not yet entered Taiwan’s territorial waters or airspace.
#Chinas #exercises #raise #Taiwans #fears #situation #control