China labels strait activity combat drills
BEIJING: China described its military exercises near Taiwan as combat drills yesterday, upping the ante as senior former United States officials arrived in Taipei on a trip to signal President Joe Biden’s commitment to Taiwan and its democracy.
Taiwan has complained about the proximity of repeated Chinese military activity, including fighter jets and bombers entering its air defence zone and a Chinese aircraft carrier exercising off the island, which is claimed by Beijing.
Twentyfive Chinese air force aircraft, including fighters and nuclearcapable bombers, entered Taiwan’s defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, the largest incursion reported by Taipei to date.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said Taiwan’s government and separatists were colluding with ‘‘external forces’’.
‘‘The People’s Liberation Army’s organising of actual combat exercises in the Taiwan Strait is a necessary action to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty,’’ spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said.
‘‘It is a solemn response to external forces’ interference and provocations by Taiwan independence’’ forces, he added.
‘‘The PLA’s military exercises and training operations are sending a signal that our determination to curb Taiwan independence and TaiwanUS collusion is not just talk.’’
China has previously offered little public comment on its recent military movements near
air
Taiwan. Its defence ministry referred to them only as ‘‘military activities’’ in late January.
The US, which like most countries only officially recognises China’s government and not Taiwan’s, is however Taipei’s strongest international backer and has watched tensions mount with growing alarm.
Former US senator Chris Dodd and former deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg arrived in Taiwan yesterday in an unmarked private jet, in what a White House official called a ‘‘personal signal’’ of the President’s commitment to Taiwan and its democracy.
They are due to meet Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen today, in a trip that is further straining SinoUS relations.
Taiwan presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang said the trip ‘‘again shows the TaiwanUS relationship is rock solid, and is a full expression of crossparty support for Taiwan in the United States’’.
Tsai has repeatedly said Taiwan is an independent country called the Republic of China, its formal name.
Ma, the Chinese spokesman, said the meeting of the US officials with Tsai ‘‘will only exacerbate the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait’’, and that it did not matter whether this was being cast as an official or unofficial visit.
‘‘We resolutely oppose the US exaggeration of the socalled ‘Chinese military threat’ argument, and resolutely oppose the US playing the ‘Taiwan card’ and continuing to send wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces,’’ he added. — Reuters
❛ The People’s Liberation Army’s organising of actual combat exercises in the
Taiwan Strait is a necessary action to address the current security situation in the
Taiwan Strait . . .