Taiwan on high alert after PLA drills around island nation
Taipei, April 11: Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that on Monday and Tuesday, 91 PLA aircraft and 12 PLAN vessels had been detected in the vicinity of the island nation.
54 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan’s southwest and southeast ADIZ. 8 vessels were still operating in the waters surrounding Taiwan. The defense forces were monitoring the situation and preparing to respond in the event of an emergency.
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China’s Eastern Command declared that the exercises were conducted to “completely test the integrated joint combat ability of multiple military branches under actual combat conditions”. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin declared that China is “firmly opposed” to any form of Taiwan’s independence.
Shi Yi, the PLA Eastern Theater Command’s spokesperson, affirmed that the military stands ready to defeat any form of “Taiwan Independence” and foreign interference attempts. China carried out simulated strikes on Taiwan over the weekend, sparking protests in the country. Monday’s drills included live-fire exercises off of Fujian province, located only 80km (50 miles) south of Taiwan’s Matsu islands.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence tweeted, “#Taiwan is our homeland, and no matter where we go or what we encounter, she is always charming and beautiful. Every story on this land is etched in our memories. We, #ROCArmedForces, are fighting with all our heart to defend our homeland and to protect our home together.”
On Monday, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, prompting China’s Joint Sword military drills around Taiwan. The island nation’s defense forces have been on high alert ever since.
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- ANI
