Taiwan's Ministry of Defense scrambled land, air force and navy on Wednesday after Chinese ships launched live-action campaigns near Taiwan's coast without warning.
“This move not only poses a high risk to the safety of international flights and ship voyages, but also a blatant provocation to regional safety and stability,” said Taiwan Ministry of Defense. I said In a statement.
The drill began early on Wednesday and was about 40 nautical miles from the coast of Kao Sion, where Taiwan's largest port and global shipping hub, according to the statement.
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) did not provide advance notice of drills that include multiple surface vessels and at least 32 fighter jets.
The PLA has only given concise radio warnings to ships in the area that “fire training” is ongoing. The Chinese warship quickly departed the area after the drill was completed.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense I said China “blatantly violated international norms” by unilaterally restricting the sea and airspace for live-action movements without prior notice.
Taipei explained The drill, the latest in a series of provocative and bullying actions, including live-action training in Australia and Vietnam, provided “the threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific.”
China did not immediately comment on drills near Taiwan, but later on Wednesday a spokesman for China's Ministry of Defense I insisted The PLA exercise coincides with “international law and ordinary practices” and raised “there are no threats to aviation safety.”
Perhaps not by chance, Chinese training from Taiwan's coast came the day after Taiwan. detention A Togoic cargo ship with Chinese crew suspected that the ship had intentionally or mistakenly disconnected an underwater communications cable.
Taiwan's coast guard said it could not rule out “potential grey zone harassment” from China-related vessels. Greyzone's harassment refers to the act of obstruction and psychological warfare that leads to military provocation.
Beijing on Wednesday Rejected The cable is a violation of “a general maritime accident,” and Taiwan said it “deliberately exaggerated the situation in attempts to manipulate politically, but this does not enjoy general support.”
