The second and final day of Chinese military drills around Taiwan continued, a display the People’s Liberation Army has described as tests of the goal to seize power on the island, launch joint attacks, and occupy key zones. Officials presented a map showing five operational areas around Taiwan. Some exercises simulated air attacks on ships, while others involved coast guard patrols. These incursions in waters with disputed jurisdiction have stirred tensions in recent months. Some maneuvers even extended to the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines, another neighbor with mounting disputes with China in recent times. Credit: Reuters
The intention to “seize power” marks a step beyond the mere blockade of the island to cut off outside supplies that was tested yesterday by the army. Analysts say that if China ever decided to punish Taiwan, it would likely favor a blockade rather than a full invasion. The militarized show comes with a wave of propaganda that heightens the stakes. The Eastern Theater Command, leading the operations, posted an animated video on its WeChat account, depicting missiles fired from land, sea, and air toward Taipei, Kaohsiung, and other Taiwanese cities enshrouded in flames. The message, Armas sacras para matar la independencia, translates to sacred weapons for killing independence, reflecting a rhetoric more aligned with North Korea than with mainstream Beijing. Such boasts feel discordant with China’s own image at home. Credit: Reuters
Taiwan’s own defense ministry has also stepped up, keeping a close eye on Beijing’s actions. On the first day, it tracked 19 Chinese warships, seven coast guard vessels, and 49 aircraft, with 28 crossing the median line of the Formosa Strait. That line, drawn to maintain a degree of separation, was set by the United States decades ago to prevent direct clashes. Even though the daily counts are respectable, they show the drills are smaller than in the last two years and far from the levels seen when the island hosted a high-profile visit by a former U.S. leader. Credit: Reuters
From the United States, as well as allies in the region, there have been calls for calm and warnings about the risk of accidents. The drills come on the eve of a historic summit involving China, South Korea, and Japan, where Beijing seeks to reassure nervous neighbors who look toward Washington for security assurances. The European Union has urged respect for the current state of the Taiwan Strait and has opposed unilateral actions that could change the status quo by force or coercion. The United Nations has urged both sides to avoid measures that would escalate tensions. Credit: Reuters
The military display unfolds in Taiwan with the usual quiet routine, locals told this newspaper. They note the episodes have not disrupted daily life. The drills compete for attention with energetic parliamentary debates and street protests, both rooted in a controversy over a government-transparency law that the opposition wants passed quickly. The opposition argues the measure would simply increase government accountability, while the ruling side worries executives might face criminal investigations for disclosing national security issues. Credit: Reuters
The exercises concentrate attention on China following the relatively muted reception of the recent presidential inauguration of Lai Ching-te. The state newspaper People’s Daily clarifies that no one desires reunification more than China itself, yet there will be no room for separatist activities, which it says push toward self-destruction. A strongly worded editorial in the Global Times accuses Lai of stepping onto the stage with a speech filled with hostility, propaganda, lies, and signals favoring independence. It says Lai is merely a pawn, no matter how much he bows to external powers or tries to lead in containing China’s rise. Credit: Reuters