China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday, in what it called a "stern warning" to the self-ruled island's government following a meeting between its president and the US House speaker. The war games started after a 4-day visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to China.
Dubbed "United Sharp Sword", the three-day operation will run until Monday, the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Tsai immediately denounced the drills, pledging to work with "the US and other like-minded countries" in the face of "continued authoritarian expansionism".
China's war games will send planes, ships and personnel into "the maritime areas and air space of the Taiwan Strait, off the northern and southern coasts of the island, and to the island's east", said Shi Yin, a PLA spokesman.
China began three days of military exercises around Taiwan on Saturday in response to a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.
— Victor vicktop55 (@vicktop55) April 8, 2023
The teaching is called the Joint Sword. The Eastern Command of the PLA is… pic.twitter.com/USX8hi0Xcp
Exercises on Monday will include live-fire drills off the coast of China's Fujian province, which faces Taiwan, the local maritime authority said.
The manoeuvres come after a meeting between President Tsai Beijing and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
China views democratic, self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.
"Necessary for safeguarding sovereignty"
"These operations serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external forces and against their provocative activities," the PLA's Shi said.
"The operations are necessary for safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Taiwan's defence ministry said eight Chinese warships and 42 fighter jets were detected around the island on Saturday.
PLA's Eastern Theater Command has announced to conduct combat-readiness patrols and joint exercises encircling #Taiwan starting today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly with our assets to defend our country. pic.twitter.com/Dq1f3fKBee
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) April 8, 2023
The ministry expressed "solemn condemnation of such irrational actions", adding the detections -- which included 29 jets crossing Taiwan's median line, the largest number yet this year -- took place between 6 and 11 am local time (2200 GMT to 0300 GMT).
China was using Tsai's US visit as an "excuse to conduct military exercises, which has seriously undermined peace, stability and security in the region", the ministry said.
The drills also follow the departure from Beijing of French President Emmanuel Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, who were in China to urge Xi Jinping to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
(Agencies)
