China has kicked off its largest military exercises around Taiwan in more than a year, calling the drills “punishment” for what it claimed was a “provocation” from Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te, who took office on Monday.
The People’s Liberation Army said the exercises, scheduled to take place in waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan over the next two days, were also a “serious warning against outside interference and provocations”.
The move marks Beijing’s first military reaction to the inauguration of Lai, whom the Chinese Communist party has denounced as a “dangerous separatist”.
The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command said the army, navy, air force and rocket force would practice “seizing control of the battlefield”, striking key targets and sailing and flying close to Taiwan’s main island.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said a total of 15 Chinese navy vessels, 16 coast guard ships and 49 military aircraft had operated in the Taiwan Strait area on Thursday as of 8pm local time, with 35 of the aircraft crossing the strait’s median line.
Here are the top political news stories for today.
@MandateCoati2yrs2Y
Why can’t politicians just leave people in peace to get on with their lives? If the people of Taiwan want to become part of China they can vote for it.
Autocracy and nationalism are the cause of so much suffering.
The current behavior of two of the permanent members of the UN Security Council has brought the whole UN into total disrepute. It reminds of the failure of the League of Nations before WW2. Utterly depressing.
@TurtleHannahRepublican2yrs2Y
The leading countries of the West should in concert with each other declare a reversal of the so-called one China policy and recognise the Republic of China with its capital in Taipei. It is only due to cowardice and greed that the countries have failed to do so.
@OffendedSalamiVeteran2yrs2Y
China and Russia are the most responsible members of UN SC. They’re the ones who have stopped western colonialism from spreading across the world.
There is a reason why Global South exists and is being led by these nations.
And the main comment above is correct that when democracy ended in the U.S. and plutocracy plus oligarchy replaced it, the U.S. became a far more dangerous place for the world.
Despite all the losses suffered by Russia during the west perpetrated Ukraine war, something extremely powerful happened for Russia. All its billionaire oligarchs left and took their dangerous ideology with them. America, unfortunately, is run by its own oligarchs
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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