08/09/2022 11:28 (act 08/09/2022 11:30)
Chinese military jet over Pingtan Island ©APA/AFP
Both China and Taiwan carried out further maneuvers in a sign of continuing tensions. The Chinese military on Tuesday resumed “combat-oriented” exercises that have been going on for days, Chinese state media reported. In the context of China’s military pressure, Taiwan also carried out a maneuver on Tuesday, which had been announced long ago and was not a reaction to China’s current maneuvers.
During the Taiwanese artillery exercise, among other things, shots were fired with live ammunition, as reported by Taiwanese television. The maneuver was therefore carried out close to an area that the Chinese had also declared an exercise zone in recent days. The Taiwanese move had already been announced in July, even before US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taipei last week against Beijing’s opposition. This led to Chinese military actions.
The Chinese leadership rejects such official contacts from other countries with Taiwan because it sees the island as part of the People’s Republic. On the other hand, Taiwan has considered itself independent for decades. With its maneuvers underway since last week, the People’s Liberation Army of China not only practiced a naval and air blockade, but also a possible conquest of the island. Some Chinese commentators have suggested that military exercises are happening regularly and could become a new normal.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Tuesday accused China of preparing for an attack on the island with its exercises. “China used exercises and its military strategy book to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan,” the minister told a news conference in Taipei. Wu condemned the escalation of Chinese maneuvers. “China’s real intention behind these military exercises is to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and across the region.” Large-scale military exercises, rocket launches and cyber attacks are also aimed at weakening public morale on the island. China is also counting on a campaign of disinformation and economic pressure. Wu thanked Western countries for supporting Taiwan: “It sends a clear message to the world that democracy will not bow to the intimidation of authoritarianism.”
The Taiwanese exercise lasted just under an hour, according to an army spokesman. According to the army spokesman the day before, the armed forces are practicing “countermeasures against simulated enemy attacks in Taiwan” with the exercise with hundreds of soldiers and 40 howitzers. Another maneuver is scheduled for Thursday.
Taiwan regularly carries out maneuvers that simulate a Chinese invasion. In July, the Taiwanese military carried out counterattacks from the sea in a “joint intercept operation” as part of its biggest annual exercise.
China continued the military exercises it started last week after Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on Monday, despite all the protests and against her own announcements. In fact, Beijing announced that it wanted to end the drills on Sunday.
Since the split between China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has viewed the island as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland – if necessary, using military force. The conflict between Beijing and Taipei has recently intensified under Chinese President Xi Jinping. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has also stoked fears that Beijing could use a similar approach in dealing with Taiwan.
The conflict over Taiwan’s status dates back to the civil war in China, when National Party of China (Kuomintang) troops under Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan after being defeated by Mao Zedong’s Communists and the Communists never gained control there. . China has increased its military threats against Taiwan since 2016.
The United States broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and recognized Beijing as the sole Chinese government. Unofficially, however, the US government continued to maintain friendly contacts with Taipei. As an ally of Taiwan, the US practices a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the Taiwan issue. This long-standing course means that while the United States is committed to helping Taiwan increase its defense capabilities, it makes no explicit promise to help it in the event of war.