Taiwan keeping watch after Chinese submarine surfaces in Taiwan Strait
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Taiwan's defense minister states on Tuesday that they have a "grasp" of the situation after images appeared online of a Chinese nuclear submarine surfacing in the Taiwan Strait near Taiwanese fishermen.
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In this photo released by the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, a Chinese guided missile destroyer is seen near Taiwan on Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP)
Taiwan's defense minister announced on Tuesday that they have a "grasp" of the situation following the appearance of online images showing a Chinese nuclear submarine surfacing in the Taiwan Strait near Taiwanese fishermen.
The narrow strait separating Taiwan from China is a frequent source of friction. Taiwan reports daily drills of Chinese warplanes and warships in the area, as Beijing continues asserting its sovereignty over the island.
Taiwanese media published pictures of a surfaced craft, which appears to be a nuclear-armed Jin-class ballistic missile submarine. The images were taken by a Taiwanese fishing boat in the strait on Tuesday at dawn, approximately 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan's western coast.
Military experts indicate that the strategic waters off Taiwan's southwestern shores, where the relatively shallow Taiwan Strait deepens, provide an ideal location for submarine ambushes. This makes the area a hot spot for military drills from China, Taiwan, and the United States.
In recent years, Taiwan has complained that China has been engaging in so-called grey zone warfare, which aims to exhaust an opponent without resorting to open combat. Examples include flying surveillance balloons over the island.
Chinese drills around Taiwan
Earlier last month, China declared the conclusion of a two-day series of military exercises around Taiwan, describing them as a test of its capability to take control of the island. The exercises commenced three days after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te assumed office and delivered an inauguration speech, which China condemned as a "confession of independence".
Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported that 111 Chinese aircraft and numerous naval vessels participated in the drills encircling the island's democracy.
The Chinese army "successfully completed" the operation, named "Joint Sword-2024A", a presenter on the state-run military news channel CCTV-7 stated in a broadcast late on May 25.
