[ad_1]
China launched military exercises “nearly” around Taiwan yesterday, three days after Taiwan’s new leader Lai Ching-te took office, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported. “The exercises were held in the Taiwan Strait in the north, south and east of Taiwan Island and in areas surrounding Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin Islands,” Xinhua said.
The exercise is expected to last two days, starting at 7:45 a.m., the agency added. A spokesman for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement that yesterday’s exercise was a “severe punishment” for what he called “Taiwan independence forces.”
Xinhua News Agency quoted Li Xi as saying that this was “a severe punishment for the separatist behavior of the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and a severe warning against interference and provocation by external forces.”
Lai Ching-te succeeded Tsai Ing-wen (2016-2024), also from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, in English), as Taiwan’s leader on Monday. In his inauguration speech, Lai said that “peace is priceless, and there are no winners in wars.” He also made it clear that he would maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and not promote Taiwan independence.
[ad_2]
Source link
