Latest news with #TaiwanIndependence
CNA
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
China slams 'separatist' Taiwan leader on one year in office: State media
BEIJING: China slammed Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday (May 20) for his "separatist position" promoting independence, calling it "doomed to fail", state broadcaster CCTV said. "The recent speeches of the leader of the Taiwan region ... continue to adhere to the separatist position of 'Taiwan independence'," Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office, said according to CCTV. Lai, a staunch defender of Taiwan's sovereignty and detested by Beijing, spoke on Tuesday of the need "to prepare for war to avoid war" and bolster the island's economic resilience. "Peace is priceless and there are no winners in war," Lai said in a speech marking his first year in office. But he added "we cannot have illusions" and vowed "to strengthen our national defence capabilities". China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, has threatened to to annex it by force and has held several rounds of large-scale military drills around the island since Lai took office. Lai insisted in his speech that Taiwan was "willing" to communicate with Beijing if there was "parity and dignity". China said on Tuesday it was "willing to engage in dialogue" with Taiwan - with conditions. "On the basis of the one-China principle, we are willing to engage in dialogue ... on issues relevant to promoting the reunification of the motherland," Beijing's spokesperson Chen said.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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.
Japan Times
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
China kicks off joint military exercises aimed at blockading Taiwan
China said Tuesday that it has kicked off joint military exercises around Taiwan involving its army, navy, air and rocket forces, stating that the exercises were intended to practice blockading the democratic island. Senior Col. Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command, said that the joint exercises would practice closing in on Taiwan "from multiple directions." "These drills mainly focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, assault on maritime and ground targets, and blockade on key areas and sea lanes so as to test joint operations capabilities of its troops," Shi said. Shi called the drills "a stern warning and forceful deterrence against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces," adding that the exercises are "a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity." China views self-ruled Taiwan as its 'core of core issues' and regards the island as a renegade province that must be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing regularly sends military aircraft and warships near and around the island and has conducted a number of large-scale exercises.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chinese military says it's launched joint army, naval and rocket force drills around Taiwan in ‘stern warning'
The Chinese military on Tuesday said it had begun conducting joint exercises involving its army, navy, air force, and rocket force to 'close in on' Taiwan from 'multiple directions,' according to a statement posted on the Eastern Theater Command's official social media account. The drills mainly focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, assault on maritime and ground targets, and blockade on key areas and sea lanes so as to test joint operations capabilities of its troops, the post said. '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,' the People's Liberation Army said in the statement. China claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its own and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary. Its military in recent years has ramped up regular patrols as well as military exercises in the air and waters around the island. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chinese military says it's launched joint army, naval and rocket force drills around Taiwan in ‘stern warning'
The Chinese military on Tuesday said it had begun conducting joint exercises involving its army, navy, air force, and rocket force to 'close in on' Taiwan from 'multiple directions,' according to a statement posted on the Eastern Theater Command's official social media account. The drills mainly focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, assault on maritime and ground targets, and blockade on key areas and sea lanes so as to test joint operations capabilities of its troops, the post said. '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,' the People's Liberation Army said in the statement. China claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its own and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary. Its military in recent years has ramped up regular patrols as well as military exercises in the air and waters around the island. This is a developing story and will be updated.
