China increased pressure on Taiwan on Monday by deploying planes and ships around the island to encircle it as part of military exercises called “Joint Sword-2024B”. These maneuvers are intended to deter certain separatist ambitions in Taiwan, according to Beijing.
Tensions at their peak in the region. Already threatening its neighbor for many months, China increased the pressure on Taiwan this Monday by deploying planes and ships around the island.
China called these new exercises “serious warnings” against the “separatist actions of the “Taiwan independence” forces”. “This is a legitimate and necessary operation to safeguard state sovereignty and national unity,” explained Captain Li Xi, spokesperson for the Chinese army’s Eastern Command.
What are the “Joint Sword-2024B” exercises?
These military exercises, called “Joint Sword-2024B”, take place “in areas to the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan. They “focus on sea-air combat readiness patrols, blockade of ports and key areas, assault of maritime and land targets as well as jointly acquiring overall superiority,” explained Captain Li Xi .
“Fighters, bombers” and other attack aircraft were deployed, and “several destroyers and frigates” were sent to the Taiwan Strait, as well as to the north, southwest and east of the island, Chinese public television CCTV said.
The Taiwanese coast guard confirmed the presence of vessels from their Chinese counterparts. “Several boats” crossed the midline of the 180km-wide Taiwan Strait between the island and China, and remained “in our northern, southwest and eastern waters in the form of convoys,” assured the latter in a press release. An AFP team near Hsinchu Air Base in northern Taiwan saw four fighter jets take off on Monday.
Taiwan on “heightened alert”
The Taiwanese islands on the outskirts of the main island have been placed on a state of “heightened alert” due to Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan, its Ministry of Defense announced on Monday.
“All defense zones on the peripheral islands are on heightened alert, our planes and ships will react to enemy situations in accordance with the rules set out by the Ministry” of Defense, the latter declared in a press release.
“A risk of escalation”
The United States, which had warned on Friday against any Chinese “provocation” targeting Taiwan after a skirmish between the two neighbors, denounced “unjustified” operations which represent a “risk of escalation”. Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei as a legitimate power since 1979, but remains Taiwan’s main ally and its main arms supplier.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense also condemned this Monday “irrational and provocative behavior” by China, ensuring that it had “deployed adequate forces to react appropriately with the aim of protecting freedom and democracy, as well as to defend sovereignty” of Taiwan.
“Faced with the enemy threat, all the country’s officers and soldiers are ready (…) We are determined and confident of being able to ensure the defense of national security,” the ministry added in a statement.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has called a security meeting in the face of these maneuvers which “contradict international law”, according to security chief Joseph Wu.
Increased pressure from China for 2 years
China has always considered Taiwan as a part of its territory to be reunited one day and has never renounced using military force to regain control. It has increased pressure in recent years by strengthening its military activity around the island, maintaining a near-constant presence using military planes and ships.
Beijing has organized three rounds of large-scale maneuvers in the past two years, using its air force and navy to encircle the island.
China has also blocked contacts between Taipei and its international partners for several years in order to isolate it, preventing it from participating in global forums and putting pressure on its rare official supporters.
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