Taiwan calls China's massive military drills a 'rehearsal for an invasion' of the island

Taiwanese Foreign Minister on Tuesday called the recent provocative military drill by China following the recent visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan-- "an excuse to invade Taipei". Addressing a press conference on Tuesday morning, FM Joseph Wu accused China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) of violating international law and added Beijing aims to control the East and South China Seas via the Taiwan Strait. "China has used the drills in its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan. It is conducting large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyber-attacks, disinformation, and economic coercion, in an attempt to weaken public morale in Taiwan," he said. 

Further, he said Beijing aims to alter the status quo and annex Taiwan, with an aim to include it in the People's Republic of China. "The military drills are a rehearsal for an invasion of the island in which it seeks to prevent other countries coming to the island’s assistance," Wu stressed. Moreover, the minister claimed China always has an intention to extend its territory illegally and added Taiwanese military will not let Beijing accomplish its dream. Though China claims Taiwan as its own territory, the foreign minister clarified both countries maintain separate jurisdictions with "neither subordinate to the other".

Hours after China announced fresh military drills in the seas and airspace around Taiwan, Taipei has also fired live artillery simulating defence against Beijing's aggression. Notably, this is the first time when Taiwan has activated its defence mechanism intending to counter Chinese warplanes and warships. The staunch response from the Taiwanese military came as the People’s Liberation Army announced conducting a fresh military exercise with anti-submarine drills, warplanes and ships. 

What fuels tension between Taiwan and China

It is crucial to note here that the Chinese government had warned Taiwan of a dramatic situation for allowing US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taipei. It sent 27 aircraft to Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) hours after Pelosi's plane left Taipei. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dubbed Pelosi's visit "unhealthy" for "democracy" and added her visit only provoked and violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, Pelosi issued a statement describing her tour as a "strong statement that America stands with Taiwan." She said that her visit is part of broader travels in the Indo-Pacific, focused on security, prosperity and governance - on which Taiwan is a global leader.

Image: AP/Twitter/@MOFA_Taiwan