President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday reassured the public of the government’s commitment to defending Taiwan’s democracy and its national security after China launched a large-scale military exercise around the country.
Lai posted his comments on Facebook after convening a high-level national security meeting in response to an announcement early yesterday by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that it had launched military drills, code-named “Joint Sword-2024B,” in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan, as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.”
The announcement of the drills came four days after Lai delivered his first Double Ten National Day address, in which he said the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has “no right to represent Taiwan” and reiterated that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are “not subordinate” to each other.
Photo: Daniel Ceng, AFP
Beijing initiated the military exercise to use force to threaten neighboring countries in an attempt to disrupt regional peace and stability, and is at odds with the international community’s expectations, Lai wrote.
He reassured the public that the government would continue to defend the nation’s free and democratic constitutional system, safeguarding the nation against external coercion.
Lai also reiterated his commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, saying that Taiwan’s unchanging goal has been for both sides of the Strait to have positive exchanges on the basis of mutual respect and dignity.
Photo: I-Hwa Cheng, AFP
In his National Day speech, Lai said Taiwan is willing to cooperate with China on issues of mutual interest, such as pandemic prevention, to strive for peace and prosperity for both sides of the Strait. He also expressed hope that Beijing would exert its influence on the world stage in a positive manner, and make further contributions to global and regional peace, security and prosperity.
China employed a record 125 aircraft, as well as its aircraft carrier Liaoning and ships, in the military exercises surrounding Taiwan and its outlying islands.
The Ministry of National Defense said that 90 of the aircraft, including warplanes, helicopters and drones, were spotted within Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. The single-day record counted aircraft from 5:02am to 4:30pm.
Photo: Screen grab from William Lai’s Facebook page
Shipping traffic was operating as normal, it added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned China for taking provocative actions near Taiwan, heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.
China’s action once again challenges the rules-based international order and seriously damages regional peace and stability, it said.
Photo: CNA
Lai, in his National Day address, once again extended an olive branch to China, but the latter insists on conducting military drills to intimidate the Taiwanese public, as it attempts to threaten Taiwan’s democracy and unilaterally undermine the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and regional peace and stability, the ministry said.
“China should not use excuses to pick quarrels and provoke trouble, becoming a troublemaker that damages regional peace and stability,” it said.
It also urged the international community, at this critical time, to take practical action to support democratic Taiwan, come together to defend the values of freedom and democracy, and protect the rules-based international order, as well as a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Photo: AFP
National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said that the Chinese drills were “inconsistent” with international protocols that live-fire exercises on the open seas should be announced in advance, he said.
They also breach the fundamental spirit of the UN Charter, which stipulates that the peaceful settlement of disputes is a mandatory obligation for member states, Wu said.
A map aired on Beijing’s China Central Television showed six large blocks encircling Taiwan indicating where the military drills were being held, along with circles drawn around Taiwan’s outlying islands.
PLA Eastern Theater Command spokesman Senior Captain Li Xi (李熹) last night announced that the military exercise was successfully completed.
Li said the navy, army, air force and missile corps were all mobilized for the drills, which were an integrated operation.
“This is a major warning to those who back Taiwan independence and a signifier of our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty,” he said.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it deployed warships to designated spots in the ocean to carry out surveillance and stand at the ready. It also deployed mobile missile and radar groups on land to track the vessels at sea.
On the streets of Taipei, residents were undeterred.
“I don’t worry, I don’t panic either, it doesn’t have any impact to me,” Chang Chia-rui said.
Another Taipei resident, Jeff Huang, said: “Taiwan is very stable now, and I am used to China’s military exercises. I have been threatened by this kind of threats since I was a child, and I am used to it.”
Additional reporting by Lee I-chia
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