Fighter jets took off from a Taiwan airbase Thursday as the self-ruled island dispatched aerial and naval forces in response to China’s launch of military drills, while Taipei’s coast guard warned off Chinese vessels. Beijing commenced two days of war games, dubbed ‘Joint Sword-2024A’, as a “strong punishment” for Taiwan’s “separatist acts”.
They come after the island swore in President Lai Ching-te, who said in his inaugural speech on Monday that Taiwan “must demonstrate our resolution to defend our nation”.
China – which claims Taiwan as part of its territory – has denounced Lai’s speech as a “confession of independence”. Beijing’s drills began Thursday morning and are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island, China’s People’s Liberation Army said. In response, Taiwan’s armed forces dispatched “aerial, naval and land assets”, Taipei’s defence ministry said in a statement.
They come after the island swore in President Lai Ching-te, who said in his inaugural speech on Monday that Taiwan “must demonstrate our resolution to defend our nation”.
China – which claims Taiwan as part of its territory – has denounced Lai’s speech as a “confession of independence”. Beijing’s drills began Thursday morning and are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island, China’s People’s Liberation Army said. In response, Taiwan’s armed forces dispatched “aerial, naval and land assets”, Taipei’s defence ministry said in a statement.