A man walks with a flag as a ship passes by behind him on Pingtan island, the closest point to Taiwan, in China’s southeast Fujian province on 8 April, 2023. Photo: Greg Baker / AFP
Taiwan says it has dispatched "appropriate forces" in response to China's announcement that it had launched military drills around the island, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.
In a statement, Taiwan's defence ministry condemned the "irrational and provocative behaviour" and said it had "dispatched appropriate forces to respond accordingly to protect freedom and democracy, and defend the sovereignty" of Taiwan.
"In the face of enemy threats, all officers and soldiers of the country are in full readiness," the ministry said in a statement.
"We are determined and confident to ensure national defence security."
China's defence ministry said on Monday it had sent planes and ships around Taiwan as part of military exercises, dubbed Joint Sword-2024B, to "test the joint operations capabilities of the theatre command's troops".
Taiwan said on Sunday it had detected a Chinese aircraft carrier group to its south in the Bashi Channel, a waterway that separates the island from the Philippines, and was "likely to proceed into the western Pacific".
It comes days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China against taking action in response to a speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te during the island's National Day celebrations.
Lai, who took office in May, has been more outspoken than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen in defending Taiwan's sovereignty, angering Beijing, which calls him a "separatist".
In his speech on Thursday, Lai vowed to "resist annexation" of the island, and insisted Beijing and Taipei were "not subordinate to each other".
China warned after the speech that Lai's "provocations" would result in "disaster" for the people of Taiwan.
- AFP
