China launches drills around Taiwan in ‘serious warning’ to vice president’s US trip

Taiwan says it highlights China’s ‘militaristic mentality and confirms hegemonic’ policies

Air Force aircrafts take part in military drills by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan (VIA REUTERS)

China has responded with joint air and sea drills around Taiwan in what it said was a “stern warning” for colluding with “separatist forces”, days after the island’s vice president went to the US and met American officials.

Taiwan said it detected 42 Chinese warplanes and eight ships since Saturday morning, including 26 aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, a demarcation that Beijing does not recognise.

It comes as William Lai, vice president and the front-runner in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election in January returned from his trip to Paraguay and made stops briefly in New York and San Francisco where he gave speeches.

China’s Eastern Theatre Command said the military exercises said drills were a stern warning for seeking “Taiwan independence” and to test the Chinese military’s “ability to fight in real combat conditions”.

“The patrols and exercises are meant to train the coordination of military vessels and airplanes and their ability to seize control of air and sea spaces,” said Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, according to state news agency Xinhua.

“The patrols and exercises serve as a stern warning to the collusion of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists with foreign elements and their provocations,” Mr Shi added.

The PLA released footage of the drills showing soldiers running, as well as military boats and planes.

According to state-run CCTV, the operation encompassed missile-equipped vessels and fighter aircraft, with coordinated efforts to simulate a scenario of encircling Taiwan.

After confirming China’s drills around the island, the defence ministry in Taipei condemned Beijing for its “irrational and provocative behaviour”.

The ministry said it had deployed forces and had the ability “to defend the freedom of democracy and the sovereignty” of Taiwan.

In this image taken from video footage run by China’s CCTV, a Chinese warship conducts drills in an area around Taiwan on Saturday, 19 August, 2023 (AP)

“Launching a military exercise under such pretext not only doesn’t help the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait but also highlights (China’s) militaristic mentality and reinstates the domineering nature of military expansion,” the ministry said.

It said its military would stand ready in the face of the threats posed by the Chinese army, adding that its forces have “the ability, determination and confidence to safeguard national security”.

China considers Taiwan as part of its territory after the two split up in 1949 following a civil war that ended with the ruling Communist Party taking control of mainland China. Beijing has said it will take its breakaway province by force if necessary.

Mr Lai went to Paraguay to reinforce relations with his government’s last diplomatic partner in South America and made stops in New York before returning from San Francisco.

A Chinese fighter jet takes off from China for drills on Saturday (AP)

In New York, during a lunch with American officials, Mr Lai vowed to “resist annexation” and continue to uphold the core tenets of Tsai Ing-wen’s administration.

On Saturday, an unnamed official in China’s Taiwan Work Office “strongly condemned” Mr Lai’s trip for ramping up collusion between Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the US, calling it a “new provocative move”.

“Lai’s latest ‘stopover’ … was a disguise he used to sell out the interests of Taiwan in order to seek gains in the local election through dishonest moves,” the official was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The official also described Mr Lai as a “troublemaker who will push Taiwan to the dangerous brink of war”.

“Lai’s deeds have proven that he is an out-and-out troublemaker who will push Taiwan to the dangerous brink of war and bring deep troubles to Taiwan compatriots”, the readout added.

It also comes as US president Joe Biden held a historic trilateral summit with South Korea and Japan to oppose China’s “dangerous and aggressive behaviour” of asserting maritime claims in the Indo-Pacific region.

They held a meeting at Camp David on Friday and stated: “We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the international community.”

“There is no change in our basic positions on Taiwan, and we call for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.”