China holds live-fire drills near Taiwan a week after encircling the island in another military exercise
A China Coast Guard boat passes near the coast of Matsu islands, Taiwan, on Monday.
In short:
China has held more military drills near Taiwan.
The latest live-fire drills were held on its territory closest to Taiwan and went for four hours.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry said China's drills were part of an annual exercise and it was tracking them.
China has held live-fire drills off the coast of its territory closest to Taiwan, just a week after a massive air-and-sea drill it described as punishment for Taiwan's president rejecting Beijing's claims of sovereignty.
The live-fire drills were held near the Pingtan islands for four hours, according to a notice from the Maritime Safety Administration.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry said China's drills were part of an annual exercise and it was tracking them.
"It cannot be ruled out that it is one of the ways to expand the deterrent effect in line with the dynamics in the Taiwan Strait," the statement added. It did not elaborate further.
Taiwan is a self-ruled island that Beijing claims is part of China with tensions flaring in recent years.
China has increased its presence in the waters and skies around Taiwan.
It now increasingly sends large numbers of warplanes and navy vessels to military exercises near Taiwan, and its coast guard carries out patrols.
Last week, China held a one-day military exercise aimed at practising the "sealing off of key ports and key areas."
Taiwan counted a record one-day total of 153 aircraft, 14 navy vessels and 12 Chinese government ships.
Taiwan's premier, Cho Jung-tai, called on China to stop its exercises aimed at Taiwan.
"Like all democratic countries in the world, we believe that China's military exercises are a threat to regional peace and stability," he said.
"Regardless of the scale of the exercise, China's military exercises should not frequently approach Taiwan to make meaningless declarations," he said.
In response to Chinese moves, the US has continued what it calls "freedom of navigation" transits through the Taiwan Strait.
On Sunday, the destroyer USS Higgins and the Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver transited the narrow band of ocean that separates China and Taiwan.
Germany sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait last month as it seeks to increase its defence engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
China has also exerted diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, poaching its allies.
South Africa, which does not recognise Taiwan as a country, asked the island last week to move its liaison office outside the capital, Pretoria, as a concession to China.
Taiwan on Monday said it would fight the request.
AP/Reuters
By：https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-23/china-holds-live-fire-drills-on-island-closest-to-taiwan/104504840(责任编辑：admin)
下一篇：Germany identifies its first case of clade 1b mpox, becoming fifth country outside Africa linked to outbreak
Socceroos rescue a point 
Wallabies thrash Wales 52
Jake Paul beats Mike Tyso
Live updates: England vs 
US election 2024: Donald 
US election live: Kamala
- ·North Korea's latest weapon agains
- ·Hezbollah says Israel 'cannot impo
- ·Inside the rise of US oligarchs and how
- ·Thailand's worst suspected serial
- ·Tabi shoes are turning heads from Holly
- ·FBI arrests Florida man planning attack
- ·Illegal immigrant gets life sentence fo
- ·Bibles, water, watches and sneakers: Do
- ·North Korea's latest weapon against
- ·Hezbollah says Israel 'cannot impose
- ·Inside the rise of US oligarchs and how i
- ·Thailand's worst suspected serial ki
- ·Tabi shoes are turning heads from Hollywo
- ·FBI arrests Florida man planning attack o
- ·Illegal immigrant gets life sentence for
- ·Bibles, water, watches and sneakers: Dona
- ·US to give Kyiv anti-personnel landmines
- ·An arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu
- ·One of Vietnam's high-profile politi
- ·Shanghai Walmart Attack: A Man Randomly S
- ·South Korean police officers jailed over
- ·Cambodia publicly shames maid deported af
- ·North Korea to use all forces including n
- ·Philippines condemns China attack of Viet
- ·US adds 2 more Chinese companies to Uyghu
- ·North Korean defector steals South Korean
- ·Malaysia deports Cambodian worker for cal
- ·Rebels battle for Myanmar junta’s weste