Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Supreme Political Council in Sanaa announces the dismissal of the current government headed by Abdulaziz bin Habtoor and assigns it to manage regular public affairs
Ministry of Health in Gaza: Two Palestinians injured by Israeli occupation forces gunfire east of Gaza Strip
Kremlin says Canada must bring to justice or extradite Nazi SS veteran who spoke in Parliament.
Kremlin: The terrorist attack on Nord Stream was de facto somehow organized by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Al Mayadeen's Correspondent in Baghdad: Turkish air strikes target villages in Rawanduz and Qandil in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia bans entry to Radakin, head of defense staff of UK armed forces who oversees training of Ukrainian military on UK territory.
Iranian Space Agency spokesperson told Al Mayadeen: The Revolutionary Guards Air Forces successfully launched the Noor 3 satellite into space.
Reuters: Death toll from fuel depot fire in Karabakh leaps to 125.
Israeli media: The IOF tried to locate the paratrooper and failed to determine his landing location, speculating that he headed north.
Israeli media: The IOF spotted a paratrooper flying over their outposts on the border with Lebanon before he disappeared.

China launches 3-day-long drills in Taiwan Strait

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Apr 2023 15:17
  • 1 Shares
  • x

China is kicking off drills in the Taiwan Strait after soaring tensions with the island in light of a visit by its president to the United States.

  • Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jets of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force perform with open weapon bays during the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China November 11, 2018 (Reuters)
    Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jets of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force perform with open weapon bays during the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China November 11, 2018. (Reuters)

China launched Saturday military drills around Taiwan in a stern warning to the Taiwanese government following a meeting between the island's leader and the US House speaker.

Operation United Sharp Sword is set to last for three days, running until Monday, Chinese media reported. It will include rehearsals on an encirclement of the Island off the coast of China, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command revealed.

The military drills were swiftly denounced by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Tsai, who pledged to work with "the US and other like-minded countries" against "continued authoritarian expansionism."

China's drills will see Beijing sending planes, ships, and personnel into "the maritime areas and air space of the Taiwan Strait, off the northern and southern coasts of the island, and to the island's east", Shi Yin, a PLA spokesperson said.

This comes amid a period of tension with China heightened by a meeting between Tsai and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, during a stopover by the Taiwan leader in the United States.

McCarthy was planning on visiting Taipei himself rather than receiving Tsai in California. But the decision to change the plan came to allegedly avoid escalation with China.

Tsai, who was on an official visit to Latin America, made two stopovers in the US during which she met with house speaker McCarthy and other legislators.

Related News

US sanctions network over alleged assistance in procuring Iranian UAVs

Solomon Islands PM says missed Biden summit to avoid 'lecture'

The announcement regarding the drills comes a day after Chinese warships patrolled near Taiwan for the second consecutive day.

Announcing that Taiwan remains an "inseparable part" of the country, China also sent a fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopter which "crossed the island's air defense identification zone (ADIZ)," according to the Defense Ministry in Taipei.

Read more: China sees Tsai's US stop 'provocation', US urges no 'overreaction'

China's warnings unheeded

China had warned Taipei and Washington before the visit, though the warnings were to no avail. Beijing also condemned it after it was over.

The CCTV broadcaster said China's forces would "simultaneously organize patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture."

The drills will include "long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers, and refuellers."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning relayed Beijing's opposition on Thursday to the official contacts between the US and Taiwan as she called on the US to halt developments with Taiwan and reiterated China's willingness to take "strong and resolute measures" to defend the country's sovereignty.

"The United States acting with Taiwan to connive at 'Taiwan independence' separatists’ political activities in the United States, conduct official contact with Taiwan and upgrade the substantive relations with Taiwan, and frame it as a 'transit.' This is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués," Mao said in a statement.

"It seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and sends an egregiously wrong signal to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it," the statement added.

  • United States
  • Taiwan
  • Mao Ning
  • Tsai Ing-wen
  • China-Taiwan
  • Kevin McCarthy
  • China

Most Read

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

  • Europe
  • 23 Sep 2023
Ukrainian soldiers ride an APC on the front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, on June 5, 2023 (AP)

US sees Ukrainian army demoralized, no chance to win: Seymour Hersh

  • Europe
  • 21 Sep 2023
Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

  • Analysis
  • 24 Sep 2023
Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

  • US & Canada
  • 25 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, chairs a weekly cabinet meeting, flanked by Tourism Minister Haim Katz, at his office in occupied al-Quds Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023 (Pool Photo via AP)
MENA

Israeli Minister shares optimism after warm reception in Saudi Arabia

The speaker of Canada's House of Commons Anthony Rota delivers a speech following an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, September 22, 2023. (AP)
US & Canada

Canadian lower House Speaker resigns after hailing former Nazi soldier

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, left, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (AP)
Europe

Erdogan urges Zangezur corridor completion amid tensions with Yerevan

A paratrooper gliding on the Lebanese-Palestinian border (Israeli media)
MENA

Paratrooper glides on Lebanese-Palestinian border, disappears

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS