The Chinese Army began the second day of military exercises around Taiwan this Friday (23).
The operation aims to test the ability of the Chinese to “seize power”, control key areas and punish the new president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, considered a separatist.
The two days of drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan-controlled islands off the Chinese coast began just three days after Lai took office.
China has never ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control.
The island's government condemned the exercises and sent its armed forces to monitor Chinese forces.
Lai has offered dialogue with China, but has been rejected. He says only the people of Taiwan can decide their future and rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
The recent actions of the “leader of the Taiwan region” will only accelerate the “destruction” of pro-independence forces in Taiwan, the Chinese Communist Party newspaper wrote.
China is willing to create “broad space for peaceful reunification” but will never leave room in Taiwan for “separatist activities”, the newspaper added.
Regional analysts and diplomats noted that so far the scale of the exercises was smaller than similar exercises in 2022 and was widely anticipated by Taiwanese and foreign officials.
They said Beijing was sending a finely calibrated warning that Chinese forces could attempt a quick blockade if it wanted to leave Lai out.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
