TAIPEI, Taiwan — On Thursday, Taiwan strongly criticized China’s military maneuvers following Beijing’s decision to conduct shooting exercises near the island’s southwest coast. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has been increasingly active around the island’s maritime and aerial boundaries in recent years.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry declared that “China is the largest disruptor to peace and stability in the region, posing the sole and greatest threat to tranquility in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region.”
Meanwhile, in Beijing, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, Wu Qian, dismissed Taiwan’s concerns, branding them as exaggerations. He described the activities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China’s military, as routine and suggested Taiwan was sensationalizing them unnecessarily.
According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, a 24-hour observation period revealed the presence of 45 aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and one ship from the Chinese military around Taiwan. Of these, 34 encroached into Taiwanese waters and airspace. Taiwan responded to these incursions, though no specific actions were detailed.
Earlier in the week, Taiwan reported the intrusion of four Chinese coast guard vessels into its jurisdiction near Kinmen island and subsequently deployed its own vessels to counter the perceived threat.
Furthermore, Xinhua, China’s government-operated news outlet, conveyed remarks from senior Chinese official Wang Huning. During an annual discourse concerning Taiwan, Wang emphasized China’s intent to take proactive steps towards the “reunification of the motherland.”
Additionally, Taiwan announced the detention of a Chinese-owned ship that allegedly cut an undersea cable, adding to tensions. China accused Taiwan of politicizing the incident before all relevant information had been clarified, perceiving it as an attempt at political manipulation.
