China launches military encirclement drill near Taiwan, prompting the island to deploy forces in response

Key Highlights

• Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command, said the drills will focus on “training in sea-and-air combat readiness patrols, seizing comprehensive control”, and “blockade and control of key ports and critical areas.”How Taiwan is respondingIt is important to note that China’s latest drill came after Beijing expressed anger at a remark by Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who said her country could respond militarily if China were to move to take control of Taiwan by force.
• “This exercise serves as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interfering forces, and is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain national unity,” Shi said. Meanwhile, in a statement, Taiwan’s presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said the drills “blatantly undermine the security and stability status quo of the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region” and “openly challenge international laws and order.”Quick ReadsView AllTrain derails in Mexico, killing at least 13 people, injuring 98'No deadline, focus is on ending war': Zelenskyy, Trump hold high-stakes Ukraine peace talks in Florida“We strongly condemn the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and their use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries,” Kuo said.
• Shortly after this, Taiwan’s military said it had deployed “appropriate forces” in response to China’s drills around the democratic island.“A response centre has been established, and appropriate forces have been deployed,” the military said, adding that its armed forces “have carried out a rapid response exercise”. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADFollow Firstpost on Google.
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