China issues warning on Taiwan independence with surprise large-scale military exercises
April 1 (UPI) -- China staged surprise military exercises in the sea and skies around Taiwan on Tuesday in what the People's Liberation Army said was a "stern warning" to the island's "separatist" government and those bent on dragging its people into conflict.
The joint Navy, Army and Rocket forces maneuvers saw more than 80 aircraft and ships "close in" on what China regards as a renegade province from "multiple directions" in large-scale drills gaming "assault on maritime and ground targets" and "blockade on key areas and sea lanes," said PLA Eastern Theater Command.
It said the purpose was to put the joint operations capabilities of the various forces to the test with exercises in waters north, south and east of Taiwan alongside conventional missiles and long-range rocket artillery.
No timeline was provided for the duration of the drills.
"It is a stern warning and forceful deterrence against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity," added the PLA.
The threat came with tensions on the rise over what Beijing alleges is moves toward independence by the Democratic Progressive Party administration of President William Lai who was elected in May.
"'Taiwan independence' means war, and pursuing 'Taiwan independence' means pushing the people of Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war," said Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Zhu Fenglian.
The foreign ministry said reunifying China -- bringing the island which broke away after the communists took over the mainland back into the fold -- was unstoppable, something that "must happen."
China has not ruled out using force to realize its goal.
The Taiwan Defense Ministry said it scrambled aircraft and deployed naval vessels and coastal missile systems after 71 aircraft and at least 19 PLA Navy and China Coast Guard ships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, appeared around the island with some coming close to Taiwan's 24-mile coastal exclusion zone.
"The joint exercises are reckless and irresponsible in threatening Taiwan as well as peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It came without justification, violates international laws and is totally unacceptable," Taiwan National Security Council general secretary Joseph Wu wrote on X.
Outside of Beijing and Taipei's decades-long cross-Taiwan Strait rivalry, Government analysts in Taiwan drew a direct connection to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's pledge to deter "Chinese aggression" during his visit to the region last week.
Hegseth said he would strengthen the U.S.-Philippine alliance to "reestablish deterrence" to combat "China's aggression" in the region and praised Japan as an "indispensable partner in deterring communist Chinese military aggression," including in the Taiwan Strait.
"They have reaffirmed the importance of security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and confirmed that the United States is shifting its security focus to the Indo-Pacific region. This has put great pressure on Beijing's intentions," the analysis reads, according to CNN which said a senior Taiwanese national security official had provided it with a copy.
"Faced with upcoming U.S.-China trade talks and the expected measures against China, Beijing has opted for restraint to avoid actions that could be seen as directly confronting the United States. Taiwan serves as the perfect pretext, prompting Beijing to launch these military drills immediately after the US Secretary of Defense left Asia," the analysis added.
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