Taiwan navy drills in China-trolled zone
HUALIEN, Taiwan — Taiwan’s navy held a major livefire exercise Wednesday off the island’s east coast in an area increasingly threatened by Chinese ships and planes.
The drills are part of annual exercises that simulate an attack by China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary.
Navy craft fired cannons and missiles and released depth charges, while fighter jets launched munitions and anti-submarine aircraft released buoys.
Submarines, along with a vast array of ballistic missiles, are considered among China’s most potent weapons against Taiwan, which split from the mainland during a civil war in 1949.
China has boosted its military threat against Taiwan, with President Xi Jinping saying this year that Beijing would not rule out using force. That comes on top of growing Chinese pressure to isolate Taiwan and inflict economic pain, largely to force independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen to agree to Beijing’s contention that Taiwan is a part of China.
Stepped-up Chinese operations have included sending ships to nearby waters and warplanes to circle the island on what Beijing calls training missions. Beijing military planners also are believed to be considering a form of lightning strike that could quickly devastate the island’s ability to resist and force it to capitulate before its chief ally, the United States, could go to its aid.