The announcement of a major arms deal between the United States and Taiwan could be the origin of major military exercises to come
The Chinese Armed Forces announced this Monday that they were mobilizing Army, Navy, Air and Aerospace Forces units around Taiwan for “major military exercises” aimed at sending a “serious warning” against any attempt at Taiwan independence and interference by “external” forces on the island.
The exercises – called “Mission Justice-2025” – will test combat readiness and the “blockade and control of key ports and critical areas”, said China’s Eastern Theater Command. Live fire activities will take place in five maritime zones and airspace surrounding the island, according to information released by the command.
Taiwan’s government condemned the exercises, accusing China of “military intimidation”, while its Defense Ministry stated that it was “fully on guard” and would “take concrete measures to defend the values of democracy and freedom”.
Beijing has been stepping up military intimidation of the island in recent years, including launching major exercises at sensitive times to express its displeasure – a playbook the latest exercises appear to follow.
China and Japan have been involved in a diplomatic controversy that has lasted for weeks, over comments by the Japanese Prime Minister about Taiwan. Washington and Taipei also announced earlier this month what could be one of the largest military sales ever from the United States to the island.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s president is insisting on approval of a historic special defense budget, which has angered Beijing.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party claims autonomous democratic Taiwan as its own territory, despite never having controlled it, and has promised to take control of the island, by force if necessary.
“This exercise constitutes a serious warning to separatist ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and external forces that interfere,” said Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command, using what appeared to be a veiled reference to the United States and its allies. “It is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain national unity.”
Other voices cited in Chinese state media were more explicit. In an interview published on the social network CCTV, military analyst Fu Nan pointed to the arms agreement between the US and Taiwan when asked why the exercises were taking place at this time, calling it an “escalation” of “collusive actions”.
In a statement, Taiwanese presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo said the exercises “blatantly undermine the status quo of security and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region” and “openly defy international law and order.”
China’s Eastern Theater Command released this Monday a video of a military exercise titled “Close the siege, take control and prevent escape” (Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army of China)
Arms deal with the US
The historic $11.1 billion arms deal between the US and Taiwan includes HIMARS missile systems, anti-tank and anti-armor missiles, tracking drones, howitzers and military software.
Washington recognizes the People’s Republic of China as China’s only legitimate government; It also recognizes Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China, but has never accepted the Chinese Communist Party’s claim to sovereignty over the island.
The US maintains close unofficial ties with Taiwan, which have strengthened in recent years. By law, they are obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself and provide it with defensive weapons.
The announcement of the latest military exercises was accompanied by the usual release of nationalist propaganda aimed at China’s domestic public, including a poster showing burning arrows falling on the island, with the caption “Arrow of Justice, Control and Denial”.
It was not immediately clear how long the exercises would last. Shi said naval and air forces would conduct combat readiness patrols from Dec. 29, and the command issued a notice announcing the closure of maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan for live-fire drills on Dec. 30.
China’s Coast Guard also announced on Monday that it was beginning law enforcement patrols in waters near Taiwan and two of its outlying islands.
Tense relations with Japan
China’s exercises come at a time when attention is focused on Taiwan, both in diplomatic discourse and in Beijing’s internal discourse, largely due to its frictions with Japan.
Beijing unleashed its ire on its regional neighbor after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that her country could respond militarily if China tried to take control of Taiwan by force – comments that Beijing sees as a direct threat to its sovereignty.
Taiwan is also considered by Beijing to be the main “red line” in US-China relations, with Chinese officials having long condemned the unofficial relationship between Taipei and Washington.
Beijing criticized the recent arms deal announced between the two countries, saying the initiative “violates China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
Taiwan has been increasing military acquisitions in recent years as it comes under increasing pressure from Beijing, with Chinese planes and ships present almost daily around Taiwan, as well as regular large-scale exercises in the surrounding waters.
However, parts of the latest deal are expected to be paid out as part of a $40 billion special defense budget that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te proposed in late November and which has had difficulty winning approval in the opposition-controlled legislature.
CNN’s Fred He contributed to this report
