Xi Jinping expected nothing more than the departure of Emmanuel Macron to launch a military exercise in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese president digested the meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which took place in Los Angeles, the most senior person to have met with a Taiwanese leader on American soil in decades. The meeting was strongly condemned by China.
Xi’s boredom, Macron’s job: China is pushing the EU away from the US
European Union president Ursula von der Leyen is also in China to meet with Xi this week, saying that stability in the Taiwan Strait is of paramount importance. Xi’s response to von der Leyen’s objections was unequivocal and summed up Beijing’s intransigence, warning that it was “wishful thinking” to expect China to compromise on Taiwan.
Military exercises begin
The exercises, which started today and will end on April 10, were eagerly awaited. 24 hours after returning to Tsai Island, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Command announced a maneuver and “battle readiness patrols” exercises in the Taiwan Strait, north and south, and eastern waters. A simulated siege of the island that Beijing plans to annex to the People’s Republic of China. Seventy-one Chinese aircraft and nine navy ships crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, which China claims it does not recognize.
The PLA’s Eastern Command explains that today’s exercise “focuses on testing the ability to take control of sea, air and information with the support of the joint combat system” and that “the task force is conducting simultaneous patrols around the island.” all-round deterrent situation around the island”. In short, the military maneuvers initiated by China today prove a complete “encirclement” of Taiwan, “with patrols and advances around the island shaping multiple encirclement and deterrence positions”.
A video released in national media shows some of the assets nestled between the Navy’s rocket launchers and destroyers and the Air Force’s jets and bombers. Special emphasis on ground forces missile systems that can reach the island from the Chinese coast: in the past they were supplied only to the “Rocket Forces”.
#PLA distribution for ongoing patrols and #drills around #Taiwan island:
-Army: long-range rocket artillery
-Navy: destroyers, frigates, missile boats
-Air Force: fighters, bombers, electronic warfare aircraft, air tankers
-Rocket Force: conventional missiles pic.twitter.com/Ll8iP4t13a— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 8, 2023
Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Command, said the exercises were “a serious warning against Taiwan’s separatist forces collaborating with outside powers” and were “an action necessary to preserve China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense condemned Beijing’s maneuvers, citing “an irrational act that jeopardizes regional security and stability”, adding that Taiwan is monitoring the situation and deploying its own missile system.
Taipei’s response
The exercises, launched today, are the second of their kind after Beijing launched seven-day military exercises around the island last August, in retaliation for a meeting between Beijing’s Tsai and then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Taipei.
But Beijing had already shown signs of China’s anger the day after the meeting between McCarthy and Tsai. Taiwan’s defense minister had signaled the presence of a fleet of Chinese warships, including the aircraft carrier Shandong, in Western Pacific waters just hours before the scheduled meeting. The aircraft carrier may possibly be involved in the exercises.
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.