Warships, warplanes, jets and even an aircraft carrier. The waters in the Taiwan Strait were churned last weekend as Beijing launched military exercises to encircle the island following the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron. During the three-day maneuvers, attacks on “key targets on the island” and “naval blockades” were simulated, aimed at testing the neutralization capacity of Taipei’s defenses. The drills did not come as a surprise. Chinese President Xi flexed his muscles over his dissatisfaction with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. The meeting was strongly condemned by China.
“Routine Operations”
The message the Asian giant wants to convey to the world is clear: The Taiwan “issue” concerns China and therefore should not be internationalized. In fact, Beijing does not digest the strategic uncertainty observed by Washington, which, despite accepting the One China principle, remains Taiwan’s strongest ally and main arms supplier.
Although the Chinese exercises officially ended on April 10, the waters and skies around Taiwan are still unclear. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continued its military activities around the island. Taiwan’s defense ministry said 35 Chinese aircraft and eight Chinese ships were detected around Taiwan the day after the exercises ended. And again: even today, April 12, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense recorded the passage of 14 jets over the “midline”, a border not recognized by Beijing, but guaranteeing a buffer zone for a long time.
That is why military movements do not stand still, and the Chinese giant is talking about routine operations that may become more and more concentrated and more combat-oriented. The other signal came from President Xi Jinping, who, on the occasion of a naval inspection at the conclusion of air-sea exercises around the island of Taiwan, urged the Chinese armed forces to “strengthen genuine military training for warfare”.
Habits of the islanders
Tension is high in the Bosphorus, but the situation – at the moment – is not alarming. Islanders who have been threatened by the Chinese for more than 70 years (albeit in different ways, given the growing strength of Beijing’s military sector) have come under less pressure in recent days than was recorded last August after China’s visit. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, therefore does not affect the commercial and private life of the island.
But the novelty of these latest exercises is where they are conducted: Chinese ships and aircraft are stationed on the east coast of the island, where foreign aid (especially from the United States) could most likely come in case of an attack. Beijing military. But there is also a more “global” aspect to the business. The exercises were even held when a crack arose in Brussels over the words of French President Emmanuel Macron urging the European Union not to be “subjects” of the United States on the Taiwan issue.
The turning point of the elections in Taiwan
With new military exercises, the mantra that China will occupy the island very soon is being revived. Taiwan’s foreign minister was the first to bring up the danger of war in the Straits. “It seems they are preparing to start a war against Taiwan,” Joseph Wu said in an exclusive interview with CNN on April 12, after China conducted military exercises around the island, condemning Beijing’s actions. Asked if Taiwan had any idea about the timing of China’s potential military action, given US intelligence assessments that Xi has ordered the military to prepare by 2027, Wu expressed confidence in Taiwan’s preparations. “Chinese leaders will think twice before deciding to use force against Taiwan. And whether it’s 2025 or 2027 or even beyond, Taiwan just needs to be prepared,” he said.
The timing reported by Wu is not accidental. The month of January 2024, when citizens of vibrant Taiwanese democracy will be called to the polls to elect a new president, is marked in red on the agenda. China hopes the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party will triumph over the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has led the island since 2016 under the leadership of Tsai Ing-wen.
The last visit to China by Ma Ying-jeou, who was president of Taiwan (formally known as the Republic of China) between 2008 and 2016, falls within this dynamic political context. Between handshakes and photo opportunities, Ma affirmed the high value of the visit, which in many ways has been described as historic: it is the first time a former Taiwanese president has ascended the throne since 1949 (that is, since Taiwan began de facto self-rule). in mainland China. The former president is not just any political figure: he is actually a prominent member of the Kuomintang, a nationalist party that took refuge in Taiwan after the defeat of Mao Zedong’s communists and is moving towards care and a more dialogical approach with Beijing. a “status quo”.
According to some analysts, Ma’s visit to China was aimed at reducing the risks of escalation in the Taiwan Strait. Because if Beijing continues to tense its muscles across the Bosphorus – so it is thought – it risks giving the DPP a victory in an election round where relations with the Asian giant are weighing more than local votes (on the last appointment, the following year, the DPP actually recorded a major defeat).
No-fly zone in northern Taiwan
Taiwan’s entire political, economic, social and cultural life is largely defined by its relations with China. On the one hand, there is a large minority that believes (as Xi wanted) continued unification with the People’s Republic, on the other hand, there are those pushing for a clear separation from mainland China. Then there are those who prefer the status quo, the current situation where the economic, democratic and political (but not geopolitical) life of the island continues without much Chinese interference.
Taiwan plays a very important role in various industries. Primarily commercial. Because the island is the world leader in semiconductor production and above all, approximately 50% of the containers in the world pass through the Bosphorus. But also because the skies of Taiwan are home to the planes of the world’s leading airlines. For this reason, the news that China declared a no-fly zone received a reaction from Taipei. Beijing will establish a no-fly zone in northern Taiwan on Sunday, April 16, but the measure will only last 27 minutes compared to the three days originally planned. The duration of the no-fly zone was confirmed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Transport, quoted by local media, and the opposite was revealed, with Beijing notifying Taipei that a no-fly zone was imposed from next April 16 to 18: the area is located 85 nautical miles north of Taiwan. and is within the island’s Defense Air Identification Zone. The three-day no-fly zone would affect approximately 60%-70% of flights between Northeast and Southeast Asia and between Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the United States.
While the specter of a war in the Taiwan Strait is now distant, tensions between Beijing and Taipei remain high. But China appears to be preparing the tools to realize its dream of “reunification” the island with the homeland.
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.
