The Taiwanese military is on “high alert”. The island’s government deployed its armed forces on Monday to “defend freedom and democracy” and “protect” its sovereignty against China, which announced Monday morning a new wave of military maneuvers around the island.
In a statement, the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MDN) expressed its “firm condemnation” facing the “provocative and irrational actions” carried out by Beijing, which “increase tensions and harm peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”.
“Faced with enemy threats, the Armed Forces are in maximum alertwith the firm desire to “prepare for war without seeking it, to face it without avoiding it”. They will continue to strengthen their deterrence capabilities and deepen patriotism among soldiers, building a reliable and resilient military force with the capacity, determination and confidence to guarantee national security,” the portfolio said military.
This Monday, the Chinese army began military exercises around Taiwan, called “Common Sword-2024B” (joins the sword in English), in which simulates blockade and takeover ports and key areas of the island, in addition to attacks on naval and land targets.
These maneuvers occur four days laters that the President of Taiwan, William Lai, reiterated, during the celebration of Taiwan’s National Day, that the Republic of China (official name of Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China “are not subordinate to each other ‘other’ and that Beijing “has no right to represent” Taiwan.
The president of the island, considered a “independant” and a “troublemaker” by the Beijing authorities, also expressed his desire to “working” with China to “fight climate change, prevent infectious diseases and maintain regional security”.
‘The statements of ‘provocation“From China are completely unfounded,” noted the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense, stressing that Lai’s speech advocated “future cooperation” between the two sides of the strait to “jointly seek peace and prosperity” in the region.
Safety meeting
The island’s president convened a national security meeting this morning “to quickly discuss the appropriate response” to these maneuvers, according to a statement from the Taiwanese presidential office.
During the meeting, the Minister of Defense, Wellington Kooasked all military personnel to “increase the alert level, strengthen supervision and coordinate closely with units such as the Coast Guard”, acting from a “broad perspective” to “not aggravate the conflict or provoke disputes”, the military portfolio reported.
“The intelligence and surveillance system is closely monitoring the dynamics of the Chinese army’s rocket forces, and the defense zones of the outer islands (Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu) have raised their alert. The mission’s aircraft and ships will respond to enemy threats according to established rules of engagement,” DND said in a new statement.
“Actions of cognitive deterrence and social division, combined with military actions against us, are common tactics of the communist army. Ministry of Defense will appropriately publish the maritime and air dynamics, explaining the measures that the Army will take, always with the aim of ensuring operational security”, adds the official text.
Expected maneuvers
Early last week, Taiwanese national security officials They warned that China could launch military maneuvers around the island using as a “pretext” Lai’s statements on the occasion of the National Day, a date traditionally used by Taiwanese presidents to address the population and, in doing so, show their position towards Beijing.
These maneuvers constitute the second edition of “Joint Sword-2024A”, exercises carried out by the Chinese army after the inauguration of Lai on May 20 with the aim of “punishing” the “separatist acts linked to the independence” of the island.
The Chinese government then warned that it would “take countermeasures again” against Taiwan if “secessionist forces seeking independence continue to provoke” and until the “complete reunification” of the country is achieved.
