China’s People’s Liberation Army on Wednesday described organizing combat exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan to send a blunt message to the United States about its “conspiracy” with Taiwan.
China’s announcement contained few details and was ambiguous about whether such exercises had taken place recently or were yet to come. But it came a day after China and Russia sent bombers over the seas in northeast Asia, their first joint military exercise since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
China insists that Taiwan is part of its territory and cannot exist as a sovereign nation. Russia’s war in Ukraine has made American and Taiwanese officials well aware that an autocrat can order an invasion of neighboring territory at any time. During a visit to Japan on Monday, Biden said the United States had a “commitment” to make military efforts to defend Taiwan if it were ever attacked by China, and to draw a firm line at a time of increasing tensions.
China has increased its raids near Taiwan in the past year. Last week, on the day Mr. Biden arrived in Asia, China sent 14 planes to the island’s air defense zone. Under Biden’s leadership, the Pentagon has released more details about US warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait. Some analysts fear that this could lead to an accident that could lead to conflict.
On Wednesday, China described the holding of exercises near Taiwan as a “solemn warning about the recent collusion between the United States and Taiwan”.
“It is hypocritical and futile for the United States to say one thing and do another on the Taiwan issue and often encourage and support Taiwan’s independence forces,” said China’s Eastern Theater Command spokesman Senior Colonel Shi yi. online statement.
The statement described a multi-service effort that combined “combat readiness” patrols with “real combat exercises.”
In response, a spokesman for Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the “current situation is normal”. The ministry said this assessment was based on the military’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance efforts.
Chinese and Russian officials have strengthened their military ties in recent years and the two countries have grown closer, in part because of the personal relationship between China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Mr Putin has pursued those stronger ties because he wants to resist Western domination.
