Chinese warships and planes detected around Taiwan
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The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that it had detected 11 Chinese warships and 59 planes around the island, when Beijing must organize live-fire exercises to close three days of military maneuvers.
On the third day of a “total encirclement” exercise, China is organizing live-fire maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait on Monday, April 10. Thus, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said it detected 11 Chinese warships and 59 aircraft around the island.
The Chinese army “continues to conduct military exercises around Taiwan,” the ministry said, adding that fighter planes and bombers are among the devices spotted at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. in Paris).
During the weekend, fighter planes and warships had simulated targeted bombardments against the island, as part of this operation called “Joint Sword” and denounced by Taiwan. The goal? Simulate a “total encirclement” of the territory of 23 million inhabitants claimed by Beijing.
These maneuvers were launched after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting in California on Wednesday with Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, to which Beijing had promised to respond with “firm and forceful” measures.
They aim to establish Chinese capabilities to “take control of the sea, airspace and information (…) in order to create deterrence and total encirclement” of Taiwan, Taiwan television said on Saturday. Chinese state.
China views Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million, as a province it has yet to reunite with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
With AFP
