China conducts "Sharp Sword" exercises to "completely encircle" Taiwan
On Saturday, China will conduct exercises in the Taiwan Strait to "completely encircle" the island, according to Chinese state television.
The Chinese army said, on Saturday, that the aim of the three-day military exercises is "combat readiness" in the Taiwan Strait, amid tension with the island after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army said that the "United Sharp Sword" exercises will continue from April 8 to 10, and their goal is "combat readiness."
In a statement by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Eastern Theater spokesman Colonel Shi Yi said the "United Sharp Sword" exercise will include regular police exercises in the Taiwan Strait.
And the "CCTV" network reported that "the exercises today focus on the ability to control the sea, airspace and media (...) to create a deterrent force and a complete encirclement" of Taiwan.
The television network indicated that the exercises are taking place with the participation of destroyers, speedboats, missile launchers, fighters, supply planes, and jamming devices.
The Chinese army spokesman, Shi Yi, said in a statement that these exercises constitute "a serious warning against the collusion between the separatist forces seeking Taiwan independence and outside forces, as well as their provocative activities."
The Chinese army stated that the maneuvers, which also include "patrols", are "necessary to protect China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity."
And the maritime authorities in Fujian (east) said that live-fire exercises will be held, on Monday, in the Taiwan Strait near the coast of this province, which is located opposite the island.
Military analyst Song Zhongping warned that these "operational" exercises are aimed at proving that "if provocations intensify," the Chinese army is ready to "finally settle the Taiwan issue."
The exact location of the new maneuvers has not been determined, except for Monday's live-fire drills, which will be held around Pingtan, China's closest point to Taiwan.
The narrowest part of the Taiwan Strait between the Chinese coast and the island is about 130 km wide.
For its part, Taiwan denounced such "irrational" measures, stressing that it would "defend its national security with solid combat readiness."
Taiwan's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that by 4 p.m. local time (8 GMT), it had detected 9 Chinese warships and 71 military aircraft around the island.
On Saturday morning, in Pingtan, there were tourists on the beach, and no apparent military activity was reported.
Journalists in Pingtan on Friday spotted a military ship and at least two military helicopters crossing the Taiwan Strait. However, it is not clear whether these moves represent an increase in the usual number of Chinese patrols in the area.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said Saturday that the island was facing "continuous authoritarian expansion". "In recent years, we have faced continuous authoritarian expansionism," Tsai said, stressing that Taiwan "will continue to work with the United States and other like-minded countries to jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy."
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense stated that it was "monitoring the situation" and tasked the army with "responding" to Chinese military activities. She stressed that the Chinese military exercises threaten "stability and security" in the region.
"China has used President Tsai's visit and transit in the United States as an excuse to conduct military exercises that seriously undermine peace, stability and security in the region," the defense ministry said in a statement.
China looks with displeasure at the rapprochement that has been going on for years between the Taiwanese authorities and the United States, which provides important military support to the island, despite the lack of official relations between them.
Beijing considers Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million, an integral part of China's territory and has not yet been able to reunite it with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
The United States recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979, and in theory it is supposed to have no official contact with the Republic of China (Taiwan) under the "one China principle" that Beijing defends.
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