Xi Jinping's Army Stages Military Drill Near Taiwan In 'Severe Warning To Separatist Forces'

Xi Jinping‘s People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a military drill near Taiwan to warn separatists in light of recent U.S. stopovers by the Taiwanese vice-president and the presidential hopeful.

What Happened Following Taiwanese Vice-President William Lai Ching-te‘s U.S. stopovers, the Chinese army staged a military drill near Taiwan, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command said on Saturday, SCMP reported.

The drill was described as a “severe warning to separatist forces.”

The joint exercises by the PLA’s air force and navy were intended to review their combat capability. The drill comes a day after Lai, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's presidential candidate, returned from a sensitive trip to Paraguay, during which he also visited New York and San Francisco.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin criticized Lai’s stopovers, stating they undermined Beijing’s sovereignty. He also warned that China would take “strong measures” to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s defense ministry condemned the drills and promised to respond with appropriate force. They stated that the military exercise does not help peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and highlights Beijing’s militaristic mentality.

Why It Matters: This recent development is not an isolated incident. In fact, it follows a series of aggressive actions taken by China towards Taiwan. In June, it was reported that the Chinese president had set a timeline for the annexation of Taiwan, a move that could escalate tensions in the region.

In August 2023, China hawk and founder of U.S. investment firm Hayman Capital Management, Kyle Bass, cautioned that Xi could potentially launch an invasion of Taiwan by 2024. Bass suggested that the West, particularly Wall Street, is overlooking this possibility due to the perceived economic impracticality of such an attack.

Xi’s army also released a propaganda video suggesting preparation for a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Eastern Theatre Command, a People's Liberation Army division, oversees the Taiwan Strait and regularly conducts drills around the island nation.

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