China: Launches 3-Day “Joint Sword” Military Drill To Warn Taiwan Against Meeting US House Speaker

Warships and fighter planes have practised targeted attacks on Taiwan during China three-day “Joint Sword” of China military exercises in reaction to the island’s president meeting the US House speaker. The demonstration of Beijing’s military might to Taiwan, the US, and the rest of the world appears to be the goal of the drills.

China launches vengeful drill

After threatening a vengeful retaliation if Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week in the US, China began their drills on Saturday. On April 5, as Tsai was returning to Taipei following a trip to two of her island’s allies in Latin America, the meeting took place in California.

Beijing’s jets and ships have been conducting training drills everywhere around Taiwan since Saturday. The drills came to a close on Monday with simulated attacks utilising fighter jets loaded with live ammunition and a naval exercise that involved “sealing off” Taiwan.

One of China’s two aircraft carriers, the Shandong, which had travelled through Taiwan’s southeast waters to the western Pacific hours before Tsai met McCarthy, was implicated in the incidents. Japan stated on Monday that it had scrambled aeroplanes in recent days as Chinese fighter fighters landed and took off from the Shandong in waters close to southern Japan and Taiwan, giving a hint of the magnitude of the games.

Also Read: China Declares To Inspect Ships In Taiwan Strait, US Calls For Restraint

US calls for restraint

Following his discussion with Tsai, McCarthy declared that US armament supplies to Taiwan, which enrage the Chinese leadership, would go on as a war deterrent. As the drills began, the United States pleaded with China to exercise prudence in the Taiwan Strait, but its requests remained unanswered.

The USS Milius, a guided-missile destroyer, was despatched by Washington on Monday through disputed areas of the South China Sea. The Spratly Islands are an archipelago that is 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) from Taiwan and is claimed by China, Taiwan, and numerous Southeast Asian countries, according to Washington.

The US Navy issued a statement saying, “This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea.” China immediately denounced the action, calling the warship a “illegal intruder.”

Taiwan on high alert

Tsai promised to continue collaborating with the US in the face of Chinese aggression in response to China’s drills. The island was put on high alert after Taiwan’s defence ministry implemented battle preparedness measures for the air, land, and water.

Since then, Taiwan’s forces have conducted defensive air flights to demonstrate their capabilities and get ready for any significant incursion by Chinese forces. Taiwan’s military was also keeping tabs on Chinese ships and aircraft and practising tracking enemy aircraft with surface-to-air missile systems developed in the US.

A video of soldiers loading anti-aircraft missile launchers, fighter jets taking off, and other military readiness drills was posted by the island’s defence ministry. “We seek neither escalation nor conflict, but we remain steadfast, rational, and serious to react and defend our territory and sovereignty,” the caption for the 75-second footage read.