Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that it detected until 11 local time (5 in Italy) a total of 26 military jets and nine Chinese warships around the island, in the aftermath of the end of the three-day full-scale war games decided in response at the meeting in Los Angeles between the president of Taipei Tsai Ing-wen and the speaker of the American House Kevin McCarthy. China “has sent military aircraft that have crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait from north, central and south,” the ministry said in a statement.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen meanwhile he criticized Beijing for its behavior, defined as “irresponsible”, regarding the three days of war games that led to the island being surrounded, based on simulations that predicted simulated attacks on strategic objectives.
“As president, I represent my country to the world,” Tsai wrote on Facebook overnight. Visits abroad, including stops in the US, “are not new and are what people expect. However, China is using military maneuvers to instability in Taiwan and in the area and it is not a responsible attitude of a regional power”.
China has simulated precision strikes and blockades around the island during exercises over the past three days, sending in dozens of fighter planes and bombers. As well as a dozen warships, including the aircraft carrier Shandong.
The defense ministry said it also spotted J-16 and Su-30 models among the fighter jets, which were carrying out combat readiness patrols around the island. Taiwan’s air force, navy and ground-based missile crews “are monitoring and responding closely,” the ministry said in a statement.
Life in Taiwan continued as normal despite the tensions, there were no signs of panic or disruption, and civilian flights around the island, including the Taiwan Strait, also experienced some disruption.
Taipei’s ruling and opposition parties, in a rare show of unity, released a joint statement from their parliamentary committees condemning the Chinese drills. “The people and government of Taiwan have the right to conduct normal exchanges with other countries and to contribute to the international community through participation,” the statement read. While “the Chinese authorities have no right to hinder and cannot change the strong will of the Taiwanese government and people to go out into the world.”
Tokyo’s concern
China’s three-day war games around Taiwan in response to the island’s President Tsai Ing-wen meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have caused concern in Japan, with the southern islands near Taiwan and a risk of involvement in a conflict. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada described China’s military operations as “intimidating training” to take control of the sea and air around the island. China appears to have shown an “uncompromising attitude” regarding Taiwan issues during the exercises, Hamada added.
Read the full article on ANSA.it