Renewed tensions between Tapei and Beijing. Taiwan's government announced Monday that its armed forces have been placed on “high” alert after China imposed sweeping air restrictions off its eastern coast.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has established “seven airspace restriction zones in the eastern regions of Zhejiang and Fujian”, two Chinese provinces located opposite Taiwan, the Defense Ministry said Taiwanese in a press release. These restrictions, he added, are in effect from Monday to Wednesday.
Taipei also announced that it had detected Chinese ships sailing near the Taiwan Strait and in the Pacific Ocean and had, in response, engaged in “combat readiness maneuvers that take into account enemy threats, weather conditions and tactical positioning.” .
These Chinese air restrictions and the announcement of “combat preparation maneuvers” by Taipei come a few days after the end of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's tour in the Pacific, which had been strongly condemned by Beijing. This tour was his first trip abroad since taking office in May.
China considers that Taiwan is one of its provinces, which it has not yet succeeded in reunifying with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It does not exclude the use of strength to achieve this. But Beijing opposes any official contact between Taipei and foreign countries.
VideoTensions in Taiwan: the island surrounded by Chinese military exercises
In early October, Lai Ching-te said that the People's Republic of China had no right to represent Taiwan, but that the island was ready to work with Beijing to confront challenges such as climate change, adopting a tone of both firm and conciliatory, but attracting the anger of China.
Security sources in Taiwan had said before the speech that his speech could trigger new Chinese military exercises, last held by Beijing in May, as “punishment” after Lai's inauguration speech in the spring.
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