Taiwan yesterday reiterated that it would not succumb to pressure from Beijing after China carried out its most provocative military drills in decades in retaliation for US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan last week.
“We will never bow to pressure. We uphold freedom and democracy, and believe Taiwanese disapprove [of] China’s bullying actions with force and saber rattling at our door,” Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday.
China had “arrogantly” disrupted regional peace and stability, he said, calling on Beijing to not flex its military muscles.
Photo: Military News Agency
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has also called on the international community to “support democratic Taiwan” and “halt any escalation of the regional security situation.”
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) military exercises started on Thurdsay. They included missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan proper and aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
The exercises were set to end yesterday, although Beijing has announced fresh drills in the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean Peninsula, which are to run until Monday next week.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
A Chinese state television report yesterday said that the PLA would from now on conduct “regular” drills on the eastern side of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, prompting condemnation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry urged China to stop its “unreasonable behavior,” which it said endangers the region, and even common global well-being.
Yesterday, Beijing conducted “practical joint exercises in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan Island as planned,” the Chinese Eastern Theater Command said.
The drills were focused “on testing the joint firepower on the ground and long-range air strike capabilities,” it said.
The Ministry of National Defense confirmed that China had dispatched “planes, vessels and drones” around the Taiwan Strait, “simulating attacks on Taiwan’s main island and on ships in our waters.”
Beijing also sent drones over Taiwan’s outlying islands, it added.
However, the ministry disputed Chinese state media reports saying that the PLA’s Nanjing Type 052D destroyer had sailed into Taiwan’s territorial waters near Ho-Ping Power Plant in Hualien County, and urged Taiwanese not to be taken in by Beijing’s disinformation campaigns.
About 10 warships each from China and Taiwan sailed at close quarters in the Taiwan Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the median line, an unofficial buffer separating the two nations, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
As Chinese forces “pressed” the line, as they did on Saturday, Taiwan remained close to monitor and, where possible, prevent the Chinese from crossing it, the person said.
“The two sides are showing restraint,” the person said, describing the high-seas maneuvers as a game of “cat and mouse.”
“One side tries to cross, and the other stands in the way and forces them to a more disadvantageous position, and they eventually return to the other side,” the person said.
Taiwan said it mobilized a “joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance system to closely monitor the enemy situation,” and dispatched planes and vessels.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said that flights through Taiwan’s airspace had gradually resumed yesterday at about noon, as most notifications for Chinese military drills near the nation were “no longer in effect.”
However, Taiwan would continue to direct flights and ships away from a Chinese military drill off its east coast until 10am this morning, it said in a statement.
China has so far also cut off defense and climate talks with the US, and imposed sanctions on Pelosi and her family in retaliation for her visit.
While the administration of US President Joe Biden and Pelosi say Washington remains committed to the US’ “one China” policy, the US has criticized Beijing’s actions in the Taiwan Strait, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling them “fundamentally irresponsible.”
“There’s no need and no reason for this escalation,” Jean-Pierre said.
Singaporean Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean (張志賢) said on Facebook on Saturday that the US-China tensions over Taiwan are “an issue that can lead to conflict and war to the detriment of all parties involved, especially the people in Taiwan.”
The tensions would have a negative impact on Southeast Asia, Teo said, adding: “We hope that wisdom will prevail.”
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old