Taipei, Taiwan –
Taiwan scrambled its fighter jets, put its navy on alert, and activated its missile systems. This is to deal with operations near China’s 34 military aircraft and nine warships. This is part of Beijing’s strategy to destabilize and intimidate democracy on the autonomous islands.
The large-scale deployment by China has prompted Beijing to prepare for a potential blockade or outright attack on Taiwan, which could be causing great concern among military leaders of the United States, an important ally of Taiwan. because it is reinforced.
In a memo last month, U.S. Air Force General Mike Minihan instructed officers to prepare for a U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan in 2025. As chief of the Air Force Mobile Command, Minihan has a keen understanding of the Chinese military, and his personal statements are reflected. The United States is calling for increased preparedness.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that 20 Chinese aircraft crossed the central line of the Taiwan Strait.
China claims the autonomous island nation is its own territory to be seized by force, but the majority of Taiwanese oppose being placed under the rule of China’s authoritarian Communist Party. there is
Taiwan’s defense ministry said Wednesday it was “monitoring the situation to respond to these activities.”
China has been sending warships, bombers, fighters and support aircraft into the airspace near Taiwan on an almost daily basis in an effort to wear down the island’s limited defense resources and undermine support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen. there is
Chinese fighter jets have also engaged U.S. and allied military aircraft in international airspace in the South and East China Seas, in what Beijing calls a dangerous and threatening operation.
A series of visits to Taiwan in recent months by foreign politicians, including then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a number of European Union politicians, has spurred military displays from both sides.
In response to President Pelosi’s visit in August, China conducted military exercises surrounding the island and launched missiles from above it into the Pacific Ocean.
China has repeatedly threatened to retaliate against countries seeking closer ties with Taiwan, but its attempts at intimidation have sparked public sentiment backlash in Europe, Japan, the United States and elsewhere.
Taiwan is set to hold presidential elections next year, a contrast to China’s system of total control by President and Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. China’s efforts to reach out to the United Nationalist Party in Taiwan have largely backfired.
The Kuomintang performed well in last year’s local elections, but the party’s pro-Beijing policy failed to find resonance among voters at the national level.
In response to China’s threat, Taiwan has ordered defense weapons from the United States, leveraged its democracy and high-tech economy to strengthen diplomatic ties, and revitalized its domestic arms industry.
Mandatory military service for men has been extended from four months to one year, and polls show strong support for increased defense spending to counter China’s threat.
In an interview last month, Taiwan’s ambassador to the United States said Taiwan learned important lessons from the Ukrainian war that could help it deter attacks by China or defend itself if it is invaded.
Bi-khim Hsiao, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Washington, said a renewed emphasis on preparing military reserves and civilians for a society-wide battle like the Ukrainians are doing against Russia. was placed.
“Everything we do now is to prevent the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian tragedy from being repeated in Taiwan,” Xiao told The Associated Press. We try to discourage the use of , but we understand that worst-case scenarios require better preparation.”
