China announces life-fire military drills around Taiwan

China’s has conducted a combat-readiness patrol in the waters and airspace around Taiwan as a direct retaliation to recent talks in the region.

China’s People‘s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command has conducted a combat-readiness patrol in the waters and airspace around Taiwan.

Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said the patrol was launched as a warning against recent US support for “Taiwan independence” forces.

“Taiwan is a part of China, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command is determined to safeguard national sovereignty and regional peace and stability,” the spokesman said on Wednesday.

State-backed media outlet The People’s Daily reported China has recently organised “different branches of the forces for joint patrols and live-fire training exercises” in Taiwanese territory.

This handout photo released by the Australian Defence Force on May 13, 2022 shows China's People's Liberation Army navy vessel Haiwangxing.

Leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States warned Tuesday against attempts to “change the status quo by force” as concerns grow about whether China could invade self-ruled Taiwan.

A joint statement by the so-called Quad bloc avoided any direct mention of China’s growing military power in the region, but left little doubt about where its concerns lie.

The carefully worded document also made reference to the conflict in Ukraine, but without offering any joint position on the Russian invasion, which India has pointedly declined to condemn.

The Quad’s other members have been less coy about their view that a strong response to Russia’s war is needed, one that would deter other countries, including China.

“As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is shaking the fundamental principles of the international order... (we) confirmed that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force will never be tolerated anywhere, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region,” Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, using another term for the Asia-Pacific.

China has full confidence, adequate capability and enough preparations to contain the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, thwart all external interference, and uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. pic.twitter.com/iWFIQI5pM7

— Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne (@ChineseCon_Mel) May 25, 2022

The group’s statement made no mention of Russia, or China, but inveighed against a range of activities that Beijing has regularly been accused of in the region.

“We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities,” it said.

Hours after the summit, Japan said Chinese and Russian military planes had flown jointly over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea as the leaders met, in a move the country’s defence minister called “provocative”.

Leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States warned Tuesday against attempts to ‘change the status quo by force’ as concerns grow about whether China could invade self-ruled Taiwan.

- with AFP