Taiwan says China’s 'war games' sign of imminent invasion; stages military drills

Taiwan’s military on Tuesday (August 9) started a live-fire artillery drill simulating a defence of the island against attack, in an apparent retaliation to what Taiwan’s Foreign Minister called a Chinese attempt to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan.

The drills come days after the Chinese People’s Republic Army (PLA) ramped up military exercises around Taiwan in response to the visit by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei.

Lou Woei-jye, a spokesperson for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps told AFP that the drills began in the southern county of Pingtung after 0040 GMT with the firing of target flares and artillery and will end at around 0130 GMT.

Lou said that the drills are also slated for Thursday and will include the deployment of hundreds of troops and 40 howitzers.

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Lou, however, clarified that the drills were not in response to the Chinese military exercises and was planned beforehand.

Soon after, addressing the press, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that Beijing was using air and sea drills to prepare an invasion of the island and change the status quo in the Asia-Pacific region.

“China has used the drills and its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan,” he said.

“It is conducting large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyber-attacks, a disinformation campaign and economic coercion in order to weaken public morale in Taiwan,” he said.

He called Beijing’s military drills a “gross violation of Taiwan’s rights.”

China on Monday stepped up its unprecedented military drills around Taiwan, staging fresh exercises and extending the schedule of its war games launched in retaliation to Pelosi’s visit.
The Chinese military exercises kicked off after Pelosi angered Beijing by visiting Taipei last week to show her support for democracy on the island which China views as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.

On August 8, the Eastern Theatre Command of the PLA continued to carry out joint combat training exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan island, mainly focusing on the joint anti-submarine and air-to-sea assault operations.

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The four drills involved all wings of the Chinese armed forces including the missile forces, aircraft carrier group besides hundreds of warplanes conducted the drills all around the island, venting Beijing’s anger over Pelosis visit, which China says has changed the status quo of Taiwan as part of Chinese mainland under one-China policy.

Taiwan faces a constant threat of being occupied by China with the latter viewing it as a party of Chinese territory.

Military drills simulating a Chinese invasion are frequently staged on the island.

(With inputs from agencies)