Taipei: The Chinese army stated that it practiced hitting major ports and energy sites during the “Live-Fire” exercise on Wednesday, which, as part of the practice aimed at Taiwan’s purpose, claims the Democratic Island.
Washington was criticized by Washington as a “intimidation strategy” and Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-T called China a “foreign hostile force”.
Name “Strait Thunder -2025A“The drill is located in the middle and southern parts of the straight, the army said, which is an important artery for global shipping.
The army stated that it practiced “long-range live-fire drills” and “Simulated goals of major ports and energy facilities” during practice.
Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Army, said that the purpose of Wednesday’s practice is “to test the capabilities of soldiers” in areas such as “blockade and control, and accurate attack on major goals”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that China’s military exercises were ongoing, but not detailed.
Taiwan is a potential flashpoint between China and the United States, the most important security partner of the island.
The US State Department stated that Beijing’s “aggressive” military activities and rhetoric towards Taiwan “only work to increase stress and risk the security of the region and the world’s prosperity”.
Chinese leaders strictly opposed Washington’s support for Taiwan and separated Lai, which they call “separatists”.
Drills in the Strait came a day later when China sent its army, navy, air and rocket forces to surround Taiwan, when Beijing said that “an exact strike” and the blockade of the island had to be practiced.
This inspired Taipei to send its air and marine forces as part of the “rapid response exercise”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said that on Tuesday, China had deployed 21 warships around the island, with Shandong Aircraft Career Group, 71 aircraft and four coast guard ships.
It was the most warships detected during the same day in a year, and the most aircraft since October 2024.
– ‘Strong’ preventive –
Beijing has increased the deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent years, which has been rejected by Taipei, which has been rejected by Taipei.
Tensions between Taipei and Beiped since Lai took over in May 2024 and adopted a tough rhetoric compared to its predecessor Tsai ING-ven in defending the island’s sovereignty.
While Taiwan sees himself as a sovereign country, only 11 recognize their claims for the Pacific and Caribbean countries and the Caribbean states.
Last month, Lai called China a “foreign hostile force” and proposed measures to deal with Chinese espionage and infiltration, annoying Beijing.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed “strong, ready and reliable preventive” in Strait during a visit to the region last week.
Taipei analyst Wen-TE Sung said that China used the “stress after tension test” to reduce the strength of US President Donald Trump’s Taiwan and other colleagues in the region.
The United States is legally bound to provide weapons to Taiwan, but Washington has long been “strategic ambiguity” when it comes when it will deploy its army to protect the island from a Chinese attack.
China has practiced several large -scale exercises around the island in recent years, often described as rehearsals for the blockade and seizure of the region.
Analysts have speculated that China was more likely to attempt Taiwan’s blockade than to start an all-out attack, which was risky and would require a huge military deployment.
The dispute between China and Taiwan has returned in 1949 when Taiwan fled to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War with Communist fighters of Mao Zadong, the Kuomintang Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-Shek.
While Taiwan has never announced formal independence, Lai and Tsai, both belonging to the Democratic Progressive Party, shared the situation that Taiwan is “already independent”.
