Taiwan Foreign minister: Drills were used to ‘prepare for an invasion by China

Taiwan issues a strong statement that China is using air and sea drills around the island to prepare for an invasion. In a provocative response by China to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island claimed by China. China launched the largest-ever air and sea maneuvers around the Taiwan Strait.Following several days […]

Taiwan issues a strong statement that China is using air and sea drills around the island to prepare for an invasion.


In a provocative response by China to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island claimed by China. China launched the largest-ever air and sea maneuvers around the Taiwan Strait.
Following several days of major Chinese war drills, Taiwan’s top diplomat accused Beijing of plotting an invasion of the island as the island performed artillery practice simulating defence against an attack.
Foreign Minister Joseph Wu charged Beijing with exploiting Pelosi’s visit as justification for military action during a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday. Wu said: “China has exploited the drills in its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan.”


According to a statement from the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater command, training exercises were being held all over Taiwan with an emphasis on “joint blockade and joint support operations.”
According to Lou Woei-jye, spokesperson for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps, Taipei’s practice began in the southern county of Pingtung soon after 00:40 GMT with the launching of target flares and artillery, and it ended a little under an hour later at 01:30 GMT.


The road leading to Kenting, a well-known beach location, was concealed from view by howitzers soldiers were firing from.
The army stated that hundreds of soldiers and roughly 40 howitzers were deployed during the drills, which also took place on Thursday.


Lou informed AFP on Monday that the exercises had been planned and were not in response to China’s maneuvers.


Outrage has been expressed in the United States and other democracies about the size and seriousness of China’s drills as well as its decision to leave important climate and defence negotiations.
Beijing, though, described its actions as “strong, robust, and appropriate” in response to American aggression on Monday.


Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated at a regular briefing that “(We) are merely giving a warning to the offenders” and pledged that China would “firmly crush the Taiwan authorities’ fantasy of attaining independence through the US.”

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