China has launched military maneuvers around Taiwan, which will include live-fire drills, after the US announced one of its largest arms packages for Taiwan, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
The exercises, which begin on Monday, will involve the army, navy, air force, and missile forces, according to a statement from the Chinese military. The exercises, dubbed "Mission Justice-2025," will "test the actual combat capability of the theater troops in joint operations."
"This is a stern warning against the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity," said Senior Colonel Shi Yi.
The People's Liberation Army of China, in a separate statement, said that from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time on Tuesday, it would conduct live-fire drills in five blocks around Taiwan, saying "any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter" the area. China’s maritime authorities listed an extra two large zones where the military would "organize live ammunition shooting." Some of the blocks are in or near the Taiwan Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
The Ministry of National Defense in Taipei criticized China for "irrational provocative actions," adding that it had deployed forces to conduct "combat readiness exercises." Taiwan's aviation authority said that marking areas for live-fire drills seriously undermines flight safety and that it is considering alternative aircraft routes.
Investors in Taiwan tend to ignore such military activity. The benchmark Taiex index rose 0.9% to 28,810, continuing to be at a record high due to high investor demand for advanced technological products, such as chips, which are a specialty of Taiwanese companies. Shares of defense companies on both sides of the strait rose.
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The exercises, the publication writes, underscore how sensitive the Taiwan issue is for Beijing. China reacted angrily to the US approving a package of arms sales agreements to Taiwan worth up to $11 billion earlier this month, saying it increases the likelihood of a confrontation between the superpowers. On Friday, China unveiled largely symbolic sanctions against 20 US defense companies and 10 executives.
These are the first major PLA exercises off the coast of Taiwan since April, when it conducted two-day exercises to test blockade capabilities. These maneuvers also included simulated strikes on simulated targets, including ports and energy facilities.