On Saturday, China began maneuvering over Taiwan, prompted by anger over Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with the US Speaker of the House.
The three-day exercise, announced the day after Tsai returned from a visit to the United States, was widely expected after China denounced its meeting on Wednesday with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
Beijing’s announcement of the maneuvers also came just hours after senior European leaders visited China.
“United Sword” maneuvers
- The People’s Liberation Army of China announced that it had begun combat readiness patrols and exercises called “United Sword” around Taiwan, after making it clear that they would be in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of Taiwan “as planned”.
- The Chinese military’s Eastern Field Command stated that the maneuvers are “a serious warning to Taiwanese separatists” due to their “collusion with outside forces”.
- The leadership added that the maneuvers are “necessary to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the homeland.”
- Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a statement that China was using Tsai’s visit to the United States “as a pretext to conduct military exercises, which seriously damage regional peace, stability and security.”
- Taiwan stressed that “the military will respond calmly, rationally and earnestly, and will remain a guard and observer in accordance with the principles of non-escalation and non-discrimination to defend national sovereignty and national security.”
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