Taiwan's armed forces conduct military drill amid rising threats from China

Taiwan on Tuesday conducted a military drill as a show of strength amid rising threats from China across the Formosa Strait. The exercise staged at the Hukou army base south of the capital Taipei, involved tanks, mortars, and small arms. The drill was also meant to show that the Taiwanese Army is keeping vigil ahead of next month's Lunar New Year when many servicemen take off for holidays and the vulnerability increases.   

Read: China To Sanction US Officials For Lifting Diplomatic Curbs On Taiwan

Major General Chen Chong-ji, director of the department of political warfare, said "No matter what is happening around the Taiwan Strait, our determination to guard our homeland will never change." The military drill comes days after the US lifted all restrictions on officials in the country from making diplomatic contacts with their Taiwanese counterparts, garnering flak from Beijing. 

Read: US UN Ambassador Meets Virtually With Taiwan President

Threats from Beijing

Taiwan is facing serious threats from Beijing, which claims the island nation as its own territory. The threat level has increased in the recent past with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) regularly violating the median line, which experts see as a way to coerce Taiwan into towing Beijing's line. China has also warned in the past that it will not shy away from taking the island nation by force. But Taiwan has refused to give up to the pressure and instead is working with its ally the United States to develop its military capabilities, which has become a matter of grave concern for China. 

Read: China Responds To US Ambo's Planned Trip To Taiwan

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who came into power in 2016 and has since become a thorn for China, is calling for indigenous development of the country's military to counter threats from Beijing. Under Tsai's rule, Taiwan has not only developed closer ties with Washington but has also purchased high-end military equipment for billions of dollars, including armed drones, rocket systems, missiles, etc, making Beijing wary of the relation, which has warned the US on several occasions to adhere to the 'One-China' policy. 

Read: Taiwan Launches New Passport Amid Increasing Tensions With China

(Image Credit: AP)