Taiwan in Dire Straits

"The theatre's troops are ready to fight at all times and can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence and foreign interference attempts."

Statement, The People's Liberation Army

"The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: Is it in our interests to accelerate [a crisis] on Taiwan? No."

"The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction."

French President Emmanuel Macron

A shop in Taipei, Taiwan, last week, when President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan visited with Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House.

 

According to a declaration by the Chinese military, it is "ready to fight" following the completion of three days of large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan by sea and air, simulating sealing off the island. This was a predictable response to the president of Taiwan having visited the United States a week ago. 

"Combat Readiness patrols" named by the PLA Joint Sword, were purposed as a warning to the self-governing Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as an indivisible part of China. The exercises were identical to earlier such events conducted by China over a year ago, when missile strikes were launched on targets in the seas around Taiwan. At that time too, it was a warning when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

According to military experts, the exercises serve as intimidation while also present as an opportunity for Chinese troops to gain practise sealing off Taiwan, blocking sea and air traffic, a strategic option the Chiese military may decide to pursue in the event military force is used to retake Taiwan. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen travelled to the United States hoping to give further impetus to Taiwan's diplomatic alliances in Central America and the U.S.

 

A Chinese warplane during joint military exercises around Taiwan in this image taken from video and posted to the official Weibo account of China’s state-run broadcaster on Sunday | KYODO

 

An American congressional delegation met with President Tsai over the weekend back in Taiwan, following her meeting in the United States with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in California. Responding to the McCarthy meeting, China imposed a travel ban and financial sanctions against any associated with President Tsai's U.S. trip.

Kuo Yu-jen, a defence studies expert and director of the Institute for National Policy Research in Taiwan, summed the situation up precisely: "China wants to use any increase of diplomatic interactions between the U.S. and Taiwan as an excuse to train its military", he stated. China's ruling Communist Party stresses that any moves toward formal independence on Taiwan's part will lead to war.

Taiwan, stresses Beijing, is obliged to rejoin the mainland. China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan, and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait last August. Missiles were fired over the island itself, a significant escalation which saw missiles land in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Flights and shipping were disrupted with the live-fire exercises, destabilizing one of the busiest shipping lanes for global trade. Shipping and maritime traffic this time were continued as normal for the most part, according to Mr. Kuo. The focus was more on air strength with the recent exercises; Taiwan reported ovr 200 flights by Chinese warplanes just in three days. 

 

Citing the People's Liberation Army, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, spoke of the exercises as "simulating the joint sealing off" of Taiwan as well as "waves of simulated strikes", at island targets of some importance.

 

A fighter jet takes off from China’s Shandong aircraft carrier south of Okinawa Prefecture in this image released Sunday. | JOINT STAFF OFFICE OF THE DEFENSE MINISTRY OF JAPAN / VIA REUTERS

"[On the final day of the display of military might, Chinese nuclear-capable H-6K bombers] with live ammunition [and supported by fighter jets and early warning and jamming aircraft carried out] multiwave simulated strikes on important targets on Taiwan.".

“In the Taiwan Strait, the northwest and southwest of ‘Taiwan Island’ and the waters east of it, [the Chinese military] took the initiative … flexibly maneuvering to seize advantageous positions and advancing at high speeds to deter opponents."

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV