Beijing launches military maneuvers around Taiwan

Photo: Walid Berrazeg Agence France-Presse A CH-47 Chinook helicopter (top right) and a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter of the Taiwanese military fly in formation with the Taiwanese flag during National Day celebrations in front of the presidential office in Taipei, on October 10, 2024.

Amber Wang – Agence France-Presse and Sam Davies – Agence France-Presse in Taipei, Taiwan

Published at 20:07

• Asia

China launched military maneuvers with planes and ships around Taiwan on Monday, which assured for its part that it had deployed “adequate forces” to respond.

These exercises called Joint Sword-2024B aim to “test the joint operational capabilities” of the troops, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced Monday morning.

The operations are taking place “in areas to the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan,” said Captain Li Xi, spokesman for the Chinese army's Eastern Command.

The maneuvers “focus on sea-air combat readiness patrols, the blockade of ports and key areas,” “the assault of maritime and land targets” as well as “the joint acquisition of overall superiority,” added Mr. Li.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry condemned the “irrational and provocative behavior” in a statement, saying it had “deployed adequate forces to respond appropriately to protect freedom and democracy, as well as to defend the sovereignty” of Taiwan.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified one day and has never renounced the use of military force to regain control of it.

Beijing has increased pressure on Taiwan in recent years by stepping up its military activity around the island, maintaining a near-constant presence using military aircraft and ships.

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China has staged three rounds of large-scale maneuvers in the past two years, using its air force and navy to encircle the island, which has been managed in a autonomous.

On Sunday, the Taiwanese military said it was “on alert” after detecting the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning south of the island.

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“Separatist”

Relations between Beijing and Taipei have been terrible since 2016 and the arrival of Tsai Ing-wen as Taiwanese president, then of her successor Lai Ching-te in 2024.

Inaugurated in May, Mr. Lai had pledged on Thursday to “resist the Chinese annexation” of the island or “the encroachment of (its) sovereignty,” on the occasion of Taiwan’s national holiday.

He had also expressed his wish to have “healthy and orderly dialogue and exchanges” with China, calling on Beijing to use its influence instead to help resolve conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Beijing, which describes Mr. Lai as a “separatist,” had responded by warning that the Taiwanese president’s “provocations” would bring “disaster” to his people.

On Friday, the United States warned China against any “provocation” against Taiwan.

“The whole world has every interest in maintaining peace and stability, in preserving the status quo, in avoiding any type of conflict likely to disrupt essential elements of the global economy,” stressed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

On Monday, Beijing called the launch of the new exercises a “serious warning” against “separatist actions by the 'Taiwan independence' forces.”

“This is a legitimate and necessary operation to safeguard state sovereignty and national unity,” said Captain Li Xi.

Beijing has long tried to block contacts between Taipei and its international partners in order to isolate it, preventing it from participating in global forums and putting pressure on its few official supporters.

Washington has recognized Beijing over Taipei as a legitimate power since 1979, but remains Taiwan's most powerful ally and its main arms supplier.

The disputes between Beijing and Taipei date back to the long and bloody civil war that pitted the communist fighters led by Mao Zedong against the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek.

Defeated by the communists, who founded the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, the nationalists of the Republic of China took refuge with many civilians in Taiwan, one of the only parts of the national territory then not conquered by Mao Zedong's forces.