The Ministry of National Defense said it has launched war-preparedness drills and is on high alert after the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) established seven "reserved airspace" zones in the airspace east of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces today.
The PLA said that the zone designation would last until Wednesday.
All military units have been instructed to closely monitor PLA activities and maintain a high state of alert, the ministry said in a news release.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Based on the PLA situation, weather conditions and other factors, combat readiness deployments are to be conducted at tactical positions around the country, the ministry said.
Through joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the military would monitor PLA naval task groups and coast guard vessels from the Eastern, Northern and Southern Theater Commands as they enter the Taiwan Strait and the western Pacific region, the ministry said.
Troops stationed on outer islands are working closely with the Coast Guard Administration to monitor and respond to activities by PLA vessels, it said.
Any unilateral and irrational provocative actions could severely undermine peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, which is unwelcome by the international community, the ministry said.
The PLA's recent activities around Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines have already destabilized the region, it said.
The military would adhere to the principle of “not escalating conflicts and not provoking disputes,” and carefully address any PLA intrusions into “gray” zones, the ministry said.
The military has the capability, determination and confidence to ensure national security, it added.
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