Taiwan’s defense ministry announced on April 11th that it had detected nine Chinese warships and 26 aircraft in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, a day after China declared the completion of military drills. This news followed critical remarks by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen against Beijing’s recent military drills, known as ‘Joint Sword’, which she called ‘irresponsible.’
According to Reuters, as of 11 am local time, China ‘organized military aircraft this morning and crossed the median line from the north, the center, and the south’. The Chinese warships and aircraft, including J-16 and Su-30 fighters, were seen carrying out combat readiness patrols around Taiwan, stated Taiwan’s defense ministry. In response, Taiwan’s air force, navy, and shore-based missile crews are closely monitoring and responding to the situation.
These war games began after Tsai’s visit to the United States, where she met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, who later criticized China for its ‘bullying tactics’ in the Taiwan Strait. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to use force to bring it under its control, while Taiwan’s democratically-elected government contests China’s claims. During the drills, which were scheduled to end on Monday, the United States and European Union asked Beijing to exercise restraint. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s government has repeatedly denounced the drills and reiterated that it will not escalate or provoke.
In a Facebook post on April 12th, Tsai expressed her gratitude to Taiwan’s military personnel for their professionalism and sense of mission during China’s military drills, adding that the protection of democratic Taiwan is the top priority. She stated that her visits outside of Taiwan, including stops in the US, are not new and what the Taiwanese people expect. However, China has used this as an opportunity to launch military exercises that cause instability in Taiwan and the region, which she believes is not the responsible attitude of a regional power. She concluded by stating that although China’s military exercises have come to an end, the national army and national security team will continue to hold their positions and defend the country.
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