The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said China had nearly doubled the number of its warships operating around the nation in the previous 24 hours, ahead of what security sources expect would be a new round of war games.
China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the nation in response to President William Lai’s (賴清德) recent visit to Pacific allies, including stops in Hawaii and Guam, a US territory. Lai returned from the week-long trip on Friday night.
Beijing has held two rounds of war games around Taiwan this year, and sends ships and military planes near the nation almost daily.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
In its daily morning report on Chinese military activities, the ministry said there were 14 Chinese warships operating nearby, up from the eight it reported the previous day.
Six of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial demarcation zone between Taiwan and China, the ministry said.
The ministry said it had detected four Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait, one of which had brushed the top of the Taiwan proper.
Weather conditions would likely be a factor in China’s decision on any war games, security sources said.
Weather in the Strait has been poor this weekend.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not answer calls yesterday.
However, in a strongly worded commentary on its WeChat account yesterday, the Chinese Ministry of State Security said Lai’s efforts to “use arms to seek independence” and cosy up to the US were doomed to fail.
Taiwan’s government is putting on a “false display of power” while the US government is “acting in cahoots with gangsters and jackals” in supporting Taiwan, it said.
No one should presume they can “step out of line on the Taiwan issue without having to pay a price,” it added.
Lai on Friday called on China to refrain from threats and said Beijing’s military exercises “will not be able to win the respect” of neighboring countries.
Speaking to reporters in Palau on the final day of his tour, Lai said “It is better to open your hands than to clench your fists.”
“No matter how many military drills China stages and how many ships and aircraft they dispatch to intimidate regional countries, China will not win the respect from any country,” he added.
Additional reporting by AP and staff writer
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