Taipei: Taiwan’s defense ministry announced on Tuesday that live fire drills conducted by China in a province facing the island are part of routine annual exercises, but they may also serve as a means of enhancing China’s “deterrence effect” in the Taiwan Strait.
In a notice issued late Monday, China’s Maritime Safety Administration declared that an area around Niushan Island in Fujian province would be closed for four hours starting at 9 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Tuesday for these live fire drills. Niushan is located just south of the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, further escalating regional tensions.
The Taiwanese defense ministry stated that it is closely monitoring the situation, asserting that the drills are part of China’s regular training activities. However, the ministry acknowledged that it could not dismiss the possibility that these actions are aimed at expanding China’s deterrent posture in light of ongoing dynamics in the Taiwan Strait, without providing further details.
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Last week, China conducted a day of military exercises around Taiwan, which Beijing regards as its territory, asserting that the drills were intended to serve as a warning against what it perceives as “separatist acts.”
Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai expressed concerns over the Chinese military activities, emphasizing that such exercises threaten regional peace and stability. “No matter how large the scale of the drill is, they should not be frequent and close to Taiwan,” he stated. “This will only cause unnecessary tension.”
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Taiwan has raised alarms over the past five years regarding regular incursions by Chinese warplanes and warships in the airspace and waters surrounding the island.
China’s disapproval of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who took office in May, stems from his reputation as a “separatist.” Beijing has consistently rejected Lai’s calls for dialogue, and Lai, in turn, refutes China’s sovereignty claims, asserting that only the people of Taiwan can determine their own future.
