In Taipei, Taiwan (AP), Taiwan strongly criticized China’s military maneuvers following Beijing’s decision to establish a designated shooting exercise zone off the southwestern coast of the self-governing island. China views Taiwan as a rebellious province that it is willing to seize by force if deemed necessary. In recent years, China has escalated its military presence in the waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry stated, “China is the primary instigator of unrest in the region and poses the most significant threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the wider Indo-Pacific area.” The Defense Ministry of Taiwan reported detecting 45 aircraft, 14 navy vessels, and one ship from the Chinese military operating near Taiwan within a 24-hour span. Among these, 34 had crossed into Taiwanese waters and airspace. Taiwan noted that it responded appropriately to these activities, although specific details were not disclosed.
Recently, Taiwan reported that four Chinese coast guard vessels had entered its waters near Kinmen Island, prompting Taiwan to dispatch its own vessels to repel them. Xinhua, the official news agency of China, relayed that senior Chinese official Wang Huning, at an annual Taiwan-focused meeting, advocated for China to proactively manage cross-strait relations and strive towards the “reunification of the motherland.”
Additionally, Taiwan disclosed that it had intercepted a Chinese-owned vessel sabotaging an undersea cable and subsequently detained the ship. Beijing, in response, accused Taiwan of sensationalizing the incident prematurely and engaging in “political manipulation” before all facts had been ascertained.
