China declares military drill close to Taiwan
Days earlier, a US manufacturer delivered an advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet to officials in Taipei. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has commenced a military exercise near the self-governed island of Taiwan, with the goal of deterring...
TroibNews 
Days earlier, a US manufacturer delivered an advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet to officials in Taipei.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has commenced a military exercise near the self-governed island of Taiwan, with the goal of deterring “separatism,” as announced by the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.
According to Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesman for the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, the drill involves the army, navy, air, and rocket forces. The exercise is concentrated on joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, efforts to achieve comprehensive dominance, attacks on maritime and ground targets, and blockades of critical areas and sea lanes, the statement explained.
Reported by Reuters, Taiwanese officials noted that the PLA had dispatched ten military ships toward the island, prompting a corresponding naval deployment from Taiwan’s military.
The American Institute in Taiwan, which operates similarly to an embassy, characterized the exercise as evidence that China is “not a responsible actor and has no problem putting the region’s security and prosperity at risk,” according to the news agency.
Beijing represented the maneuvers as a warning to “separatist forces” advocating for Taiwanese independence. While the island is recognized as part of China, it functions under a government that traces its origins back to the nationalist forces defeated by the Communists during the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s. A cartoon video released by the PLA depicts Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a bug, labeling her a “parasite courting [the] ultimate destruction” of the island.
Taipei maintains a close relationship with the US, which officially acknowledges China’s claims while nevertheless providing military support to Taiwan, despite Beijing’s objections. Last week, senior Taiwanese officials participated in a ceremony at a Lockheed Martin factory in Greenville, South Carolina, celebrating the delivery of the first of 66 advanced F-16 Block 70 Viper fighter jets ordered by Taipei.
US Congressman William Timmons shared images from the event on X, where he was present alongside Taiwan’s deputy defense minister and its envoy to the US. “We are immensely proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to bolster Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” the South Carolina lawmaker wrote.
“It was an honor to speak today at Lockheed Martin in Greenville for the F-16 Taiwan Delivery Ceremony. We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities.”
Beijing perceives US arms supplies to Taiwan as provocative and a instigator of separatism. Although Chinese policy emphasizes the pursuit of peaceful reunification, it has not dismissed the possibility of using force should Taipei declare itself a sovereign nation.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has commenced a military exercise near the self-governed island of Taiwan, with the goal of deterring “separatism,” as announced by the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.
According to Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesman for the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, the drill involves the army, navy, air, and rocket forces. The exercise is concentrated on joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, efforts to achieve comprehensive dominance, attacks on maritime and ground targets, and blockades of critical areas and sea lanes, the statement explained.
Reported by Reuters, Taiwanese officials noted that the PLA had dispatched ten military ships toward the island, prompting a corresponding naval deployment from Taiwan’s military.
The American Institute in Taiwan, which operates similarly to an embassy, characterized the exercise as evidence that China is “not a responsible actor and has no problem putting the region’s security and prosperity at risk,” according to the news agency.
Beijing represented the maneuvers as a warning to “separatist forces” advocating for Taiwanese independence. While the island is recognized as part of China, it functions under a government that traces its origins back to the nationalist forces defeated by the Communists during the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s. A cartoon video released by the PLA depicts Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a bug, labeling her a “parasite courting [the] ultimate destruction” of the island.
Taipei maintains a close relationship with the US, which officially acknowledges China’s claims while nevertheless providing military support to Taiwan, despite Beijing’s objections. Last week, senior Taiwanese officials participated in a ceremony at a Lockheed Martin factory in Greenville, South Carolina, celebrating the delivery of the first of 66 advanced F-16 Block 70 Viper fighter jets ordered by Taipei.
US Congressman William Timmons shared images from the event on X, where he was present alongside Taiwan’s deputy defense minister and its envoy to the US. “We are immensely proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to bolster Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” the South Carolina lawmaker wrote.
“It was an honor to speak today at Lockheed Martin in Greenville for the F-16 Taiwan Delivery Ceremony. We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities.”
Beijing perceives US arms supplies to Taiwan as provocative and a instigator of separatism. Although Chinese policy emphasizes the pursuit of peaceful reunification, it has not dismissed the possibility of using force should Taipei declare itself a sovereign nation.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
