Taipei says it will continue to intensify training and exercises in response to Beijing’s military activities near the island
Taiwanese forces carried out air defense combat exercises on Tuesday in response to reports of increased Chinese military activity near the island, according to a statement published by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense.
According to the Taiwanese air force, the “overall air defense combat plan exercises” were carried out in the early hours of Tuesday morning and employed the use of domestically-made Sky Bow and US-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles, in conjunction with aircraft and navy ships.
The Taiwanese command explained that the purpose of the drills was to “inspect and verify the joint air defense combat command and control of the three branches,” and stated that it will continue holding such exercises to “deal with potential threats.”
Beijing considers the self-governed island to be an inalienable part of China but has stated that it seeks peaceful reunification. However, it has warned that it would resort to military action if the US-backed Taipei administration attempts to declare independence.
Although Taiwan has governed itself since 1949, most of the international community, including the US, does not officially recognize it as a sovereign state.
Meanwhile, the island’s self-proclaimed government has repeatedly complained over the past few years that China’s military aircraft and navy ships have continued to intrude into Taiwan’s airspace and territorial waters. This as Washington is warning of a potential Chinese offensive on the island in the coming years.
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