The Taiwanese army is “on alert” Sunday after detecting a Chinese aircraft carrier to the south of the island, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced in a press release. “Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning has entered the waters near the Bashi Channel and is likely heading towards the Western Pacific”explained the ministry, specifying that the army remains “on alert, ready to react if necessary”.
Beijing has intensified its military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years. China has never renounced using military force to regain control of the island, which it considers a part of its territory to be reunited one day.
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It has organized three series of large-scale maneuvers over the past two years, involving its air force and navy to encircle the island, which is managed autonomously. Beijing also sends warships and fighter planes to patrol the surrounding area almost daily.
“Resist annexation”
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have been terrible since 2016 and the arrival as Taiwanese president of Tsai Ing-wen, then of her successor Lai Ching-te this year. Invested in May, the latter committed Thursday to “resist annexation” Chinese from the island or “to the encroachment of [sa] sovereignty »on the occasion of Taiwanese National Day.
Beijing, which describes Lai Ching-te as “separatist”reacted by warning that the Taiwanese president’s “provocations” will lead to a “disaster” for his people. The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, also considered that Lai Ching-te’s speech “revealed […] his sinister intention to escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait due to personal political interests”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Friday against any « provocation » towards Taiwan. “The whole world has every interest in maintaining peace and stability, in preserving the status quo, in avoiding any type of conflict likely to disrupt essential elements of the global economy”he stressed.