Chinese defence ministry warned of war over Taiwan and said it would step up countermeasures until a “complete reunification” is achieved.
At the same time, Chinese troops have been conducting military exercises around the self-governing island. Warships and fighter jets surrounded Taiwan on the second day of the exercise. Beijing says they were a test of its ability to take over the island.
It came days after Lai Ching-te took office and delivered an inaugural speech that China called a “confession of independence.”
The Chinese military began the exercise Thursday morning, surrounding Taiwan with naval ships and warplanes. Wu Qian said Lai “has seriously challenged the one-China principle … pushing our compatriots in Taiwan into a perilous situation of war and danger.”
Every time ‘Taiwan independence’ provokes us, we will push our countermeasures one step further, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved.
Fighter jets loaded with live ammunition flew up to targets and bombers formed teams to team up with warships to simulate “strikes against important targets,” the state media reported.
China, which split with Taiwan at the end of a civil war 75 years ago, sees the island as a province that will eventually join back to China. The dispute has long made the Taiwan Strait one of the world’s most dangerous hotspots. But events this week have heightened fears that China may use military force to subdue the island to mainland authority.
The United States “strongly” urged China on Thursday to act with restraint. The UN urged all sides to avoid escalation.
When the exercise, codenamed Joint Sword-2024A, began, China stated that it would serve as “strong punishment for the separatist acts of ‘Taiwan independence’ forces.”
