THE GUARDIAN
China has begun a second day of military drills targeting Taiwan, this time testing its military’s ability to “seize power”, in what it says is punishment for “separatist acts” after the inauguration of the island’s new president on Monday.
The exercises, which involve Chinese military units from the air force, rocket force, navy, army, and coast guard, were announced suddenly on Thursday morning, with maps showing five approximate target areas in the sea surrounding Taiwan’s main island. Other areas also targeted Taiwan’s offshore islands, which are close to the Chinese mainland.
China’s defence ministry said the drills on Friday were testing its military’s capability to “seize power” and occupy key areas, in line with Beijing’s ultimate goal of annexing Taiwan. Taiwan’s government and people reject the prospect of Chinese rule, but China’s ruler Xi Jinping has not ruled out the use of force to take the island. Western intelligence has claimed Xi has told the People’s Liberation Army to be capable of an invasion by 2027.
On Friday, China’s coast guard said it had run “enforcement drills” off Taiwan’s east coast. Citing a Taiwan security official, Reuters reported these drills included “mock inspections” of civilian boats. The same official said the PLA also conducted mock attacks on foreign vessels in the Bashi Channel, which runs between Taiwan and the Philippines, and that about 24 warplanes approached “close” to Taiwan, but none entered Taiwan’s contiguous zone extending 24 nautical miles offshore.
At least three Chinese coast guard vessels were also visible off Taiwan’s south-west, according to online ship trackers.
On Thursday afternoon the PLA said fighter jets carrying live missiles had successfully carried out “mock strikes” on Taiwanese military targets, but so far the drills are smaller in scale than those held in 2022 and 2023. Beijing did not declare any no-fly zones, and no live fire was used except in practice areas on the Chinese mainland, according to Taiwan’s military.
The ministry said China sent 19 warships around Taiwan’s perimeter, 16 marine police vessels and 49 warplanes, of which 35 crossed the median line, the de facto border between China and Taiwan.
In response, Taiwan scrambled jets, put its forces on alert, and moved anti-ship missile systems to coastal areas.
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