Taiwan condemns China's military drills
STORY: :: May 23, 2024
:: Taiwan's defense spokesman condemns China
over 'irrational' military drills near the island
:: Taipei, Taiwan
:: Sun Li-fang, Spokesperson, Taiwan Defence Ministry
“The Ministry of National Defense expresses regrets at PLA’s Eastern Theater’s announcement to conduct joint exercise in waters and airspace around Taiwan today. This irrational provocation has jeopardised regional peace and stability.”
“PRC’s dispatch of aircraft and the vessels harassing its neighbours has threatened global peace and stability. Their military exercise is not helping with the situation around Taiwan Strait and also highlighting its hegemonic mindset.”
China launched 'punishment' drills around Taiwan in what it said was a response to 'separatist acts,' sending up heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks as state media denounced newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te.
The exercises, in the Taiwan Strait and around groups of Taiwan-controlled islands that sit next to the Chinese coast, come just three days after Lai took office.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has denounced Lai's inauguration speech on Monday, in which he called on China to stop its threats and said the two sides of the strait were 'not subordinate to each other.'
