Finance
Tensions around self-ruled Taiwan reached unprecedented heights on Thursday after the Chinese military launched ballistic missiles into the surrounding waters during intense live-fire exercises as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) encircled the island from six directions, cutting it off from both the sea and the air.
The Chinese military did not provide details, but Taiwanese media reported that the missiles fired included the PLA’s nuclear-capable Dongfeng.
The PLA’s drills, which began on Tuesday night, were stepped up on Thursday noon as Beijing remained enraged by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei earlier this week.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to integrate it into the mainland.
According to Chinese media, the ongoing drills, the largest ever conducted around the Taiwan Strait, are a “rehearsal” for the reunification process.
According to reports, Taiwan’s armed forces have gone on full alert and have increased their combat readiness.
Soon after the Dongfeng missiles were launched by the PLA’s eastern command’s rocket division, the Taiwanese military closely tracked their trajectory.
The drills began on Thursday, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, and will end at 0400 GMT on Sunday.
According to the CCTV report, the exercise, led by the navy and air force, would include live firing on the waters and in the airspace surrounding Taiwan.
So far, neither the military nor Chinese state media have revealed the number of warships and fighter jets used, nor the strength of the artillery or ground forces deployed.
Following the missile drill, the PLA announced that “relevant sea and airspace control off the eastern coast of Taiwan island” had been lifted.
According to a PLA expert, the PLA has also sent an aircraft carrier group with at least one nuclear-powered submarine to the ongoing drills around the island of Taiwan for its first carrier deterrence exercise.
Hua said at a ministry briefing on Thursday that the Chinese side is deeply dissatisfied with the joint statement issued by G7 nations, including Japan – about Taiwan, Hua said at the ministry briefing on Thursday, adding that Tokyo has no right to make irresponsible remarks on Taiwan.
Source:HT
