China launched military maneuvers around Taiwan on Thursday, May 23, three days after the inauguration speech of the new Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te. This is “a severe punishment for the separatist acts of the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and a stern warning against interference and provocation by external forces,” according to East Theater Command spokesperson Li Xi. of the Chinese army, cited by the official Chine Nouvelle agency.
“The exercises are taking place in the Taiwan Strait, north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, as well as areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin,” China said News, specifying that the exercises, planned for two days, had started at 7:45 a.m. (12:45 a.m. Paris time).
These maneuvers, called “Joint Sword-2024A”, involve the army, navy, air force and rocket unit, according to Li Xi. The objective is to “test the real joint combat capabilities of the command forces”, he also indicated, through “sea-air combat preparation patrols, taking control of the entire field battle and precision strikes on key targets”.
Taiwan has called China’s military maneuvers “provocations and irrational actions.” “The Ministry of National Defense strongly condemned these provocations and irrational actions that harm regional peace and stability. We deployed sea, air and land forces in response … to defend Taiwan’s freedom, democracy and sovereignty, the ministry said.
“Confession of Taiwan’s independence”
China this week described the inauguration speech of the new Taiwanese president as an “admission of Taiwan’s independence” and threatened him with “retaliation”. Taiwan has been self-governing since 1949, when nationalists took refuge on the island after their defeat by communist forces in the Chinese civil war on the mainland. Beijing considers the democratically governed island to be part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
Mr. Lai, whom Beijing has called a “dangerous separatist” in the past, was sworn in on Monday on the island. He promised to defend democracy there in the face of threats from Beijing and called on China to “stop its political and military intimidation”. He also spoke directly about the risk of war after years of increasing pressure from the Middle Kingdom for Taiwan to come under its control.
Taiwanese separatists “will be pilloried of shame for history,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi commented on Tuesday. “Lai Ching-te’s betrayal of his nation and his ancestors is shameful,” he added during a meeting of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries.
This week, China also responded by sanctioning around fifteen American companies to denounce the sale of arms by the United States to Taiwan. Because if Washington abandoned diplomatic recognition of Taipei for the benefit of Beijing in 1979, the American Congress at the same time imposed the provision of arms to Taiwan, with the stated aim of dissuading China from any expansionist desire.
The previous large-scale Chinese military exercises around Taiwan took place in August 2023, a “stern warning”, according to Beijing, after a visit by Mr. Lai, then vice-president, to the United States. Before that, Beijing had also launched maneuvers of historic proportions in August 2022 after the visit to the island of Nancy Pelosi, then head of American deputies.