All news
China Launches Military Drills That Simulate a Blockade of Taiwan
The military is testing the possibility of “precision strikes on key targets” and “the possibility of blockading key ports and areas.” How will Taiwan and its allies respond?
China has launched a large-scale military exercise near Taiwan, which surrounds the entire island. It is called Joint Sword-2024B and involves China's navy, air force and missile forces.
The People's Liberation Army said the military was testing the possibility of "precision strikes on key targets" and "the possibility of blockading key ports and areas."
Taiwan has called China's actions a provocation. The island's authorities have called an emergency meeting on national security and said the administration is prepared to take action if the exercises have any impact on Taiwan's economy and society.
At the same time, Wen-Tie Song, a political scientist and independent fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Center, told Al Jazeera that the exercises were not surprising.
“Last May, when Taiwan elected a new prime minister, China launched a large-scale military exercise, United Swords. Now they say it’s Phase A and now Phase II has begun. There will also be Steps B and possibly C. The preparation for today’s stage took almost five months, from May to October. I’m almost certain that such preparations were discussed when US National Security Advisor Sullivan visited Beijing in the summer. So it’s very likely that Taiwan knew about it and prepared well. Taiwan’s Prime Minister Zhuo Rongtai publicly announced the possibility of the exercise three days ago. Could this be China’s response to the election of a new government in Taipei? I think so. But Taiwan will have to stop retaliating. If you are Little Taiwan, you shouldn’t react too harshly, lest you be seen as weak on the one hand and your partner get confused about who is the provocateur here on the other. Taipei is likely to condemn China's actions and call on its partners, including the United States and Japan, to do the same."
On October 10, Taiwan celebrated Independence Day, and the speech of newly elected President Lai Qingde did not please the authorities of mainland China, as he emphasized that China should recognize the independence of Taipei. Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, says:
In late September, Joe Biden ordered $567 million in arms and other military aid to Taiwan, nearly double what it had been a year earlier. Last June, the U.S. approved $360 million in drone sales to the states.