China drills simulating attack, claims Taiwan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 6

Taiwan on Saturday said Chinese aircraft and warships had rehearsed an attack on the island during the day while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was irresponsible on Beijing’s part to cut off all dialogue with the US, including a multi-layered defence dialogue, in retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A large number of Chinese planes and ships were detected around Taiwan Strait simulating an attack on its main island and Taiwan’s armed forces responded to such a situation accordingly with surveillance systems, CAP aircraft, naval vessels and missile systems, said Taipei. The Chinese exercises — centred on six locations around the island — began on Thursday and are scheduled to last until midday on Sunday. China’s Eastern Theatre Command says its focus is on testing the land strike and sea assault capabilities.

Taiwan has also complained that on Friday, 68 Chinese military planes and 13 warships crossed over the median line to participate in drills with some of them crossing the unofficial buffer separating the two sides.

With five ballistic missiles falling into Japan’s EEZ that day and three flying over Taiwan, alarmed Foreign Ministers of the US, Japan and Australia urged China to immediately cease the military exercises. Barring India, the other three members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue issued the statement in Phnom Penh and expressed their commitment to deepen the trilateral partnership to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region. “The three sides share the region’s desire for diplomacy to avoid the risks of miscalculation...,” said a joint statement.

Prez seeks support

Our government and military are closely monitoring China’s military exercises and information warfare operations, ready to respond as necessary. I call on the global community to support democratic Taiwan and halt any escalation of the regional security situation. Tsai Ing-wen, taiwan president

Taiwan scrambles jets

TAIPEI: Taiwan scrambled jets on Saturday to warn away 20 Chinese aircraft, including 14 that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, Taiwan's defence ministry said. It also detected 14 Chinese military ships conducting activities around the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said in a statement. Reuters

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