Chinese missiles flew over Taiwan for the first time. The launches are part of some of the regime’s maneuvers to respond to US Representative Nancy Pelosi’s historic trip, which ended Wednesday, the most important one in a quarter of a century. Chinese troops have been deployed around the island, establishing a de facto blockade that threatens to escalate as hostilities between the world’s two biggest powers take on a military dimension.
On the first day of the exercise, which will last until Sunday, China launched eleven Dongfeng ballistic missiles that swept north, east and south of Taiwan. The shells were fired with a margin of only two hours, between 14:00 and 16:00 local time. “They all accurately hit the target, testing their ability to hit and block the area (defense mechanism). The live fire exercise has been satisfactorily completed,” the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Command said in a statement.
However, five of those missiles landed in the waters of Japan’s exclusive economic zone; the event is unusual and, according to the text released by the Chinese authorities, deliberate. “This is a serious issue that concerns the national security of our country and our people,” Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said, calling the action “extremely coercive.” Japan, one of the United States’ greatest allies and China’s traditional rival, will host the final stop on Nancy Pelosi’s Asian tour on Friday.
Disagreements also spilled over into the diplomatic sphere. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi canceled a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi scheduled for this week after the G-7 criticized the Asian giant’s bullying. “Nothing can justify using the visit as a pretext for aggressive military action in the Taiwan Strait,” the body, which includes Japan, said.
The EPL mobilized over a hundred fighters, bombers and other combat aircraft, 22 of which exceeded the Air Identification Center Line following a repeating pattern. In addition, at least a couple of drones have infiltrated the Kinmen Islands, Taiwan-controlled territory closest to the mainland.
During military exercises, air and naval forces occupied six areas around the island, invading its territorial waters, in some cases as little as 16 kilometers from the coast. This activity is implementing a hypothetical invasion that would require one of the largest amphibious assaults in history. In such a scenario, one of the priorities of the Chinese military will be to cut off Taiwan’s communications with the rest of the world, as it has been doing since Thursday.
The island’s Ministry of Defense, for its part, confirmed that its forces remain on alert and will respond in line with “enemy movements” in coordination with the US and other allied nations. The institution also called for enhanced cybersecurity protocols, given the repeated digital attacks against its official website, which also hit the Foreign Office and the Office of the President.
Thus, China intends to create an image of strength after its attempts to dissuade did not intimidate the chairman of the House of Representatives. Pelosi reaffirmed the United States’ readiness to come to Taiwan’s aid during a face-to-face meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen. “Our delegation has come to make it clear that we will not give up Taiwan,” he said. The regime considers the self-governing island a rogue province and has never shied away from using force to subdue it.
Eurasia consulting firm stressed in a report Thursday that “the PLA exercise represents an escalation since there were no Chinese military exercises or missile launches in Taiwan’s territorial waters in 1995 and 1996.” Tension in the area has not reached a similar level since those years, which was caused by the third crisis in the strait. “However, these operations are more performative signals than preparations for war.” An unprecedented brutal production with at least three passages to go.
Source: El Correo
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.