Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has visited a military base in her country to observe drills even as rival China showed protest to the passage of a U.S. Navy destroyer through the Taiwan Strait.
Tensions between Taiwan and China showed no sign of lessening in the new year.
Beijing claims that self-governing Taiwan is a Chinese territory and demands it to be brought under China’s control by force if necessary.
Also, China frequently protests the passage of U.S. and other foreign warships through the Taiwan Strait, which is one of the world’s busiest waterways.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the base in the central county of Chiayi comes as a result of Taiwan’s search to boost its defenses against the rising threat from China.
That includes expanding the domestic shipbuilding and arms industry, buying more defensive weaponry from the U.S. and extending the national service requirement for all men from four months to a full year beginning in 2024.
Along with observing the display by an army mechanized infantry battalion, Tsai visited the air force’s Fourth Tactical Fighter Wing, whose pilots are largely responsible for intercepting Chinese military aircraft approaching the midline of the Taiwan Strait.
“I would like to reiterate that the continuous activities of the People’s Liberation Army (around Taiwan) are not helpful to cross-strait relations nor to the peace and stability of the region. As we are facing the expansion of authoritarianism, we can only but strengthen the country’s combat capabilities and toughness to secure our national security and interests.”
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen
China Accuses U.S Of “Publicly Hyping” USS Chung-Hoon’s Passage
Meanwhile, China accused the U.S. of “publicly hyping” the passage of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Chung-Hoon through the strait, adding that its forces monitored the ship the entire time.
In a brief statement posted on social media, The Eastern Theater Command’s Spokesperson, Col. Shi Yi noted, “The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army organized troops to monitor the U.S. ship’s entire passage and was fully cognizant of all its actions.”
The U.S. defends that the strait is international waters beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state.
“Chung-Hoon’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows,” the Japan-based 7th Fleet disclosed in a statement.
China’s attempts to intimidate Taiwan militarily have risen to new heights in recent months, raising concerns in Washington that Beijing is growing closer to using force.
That has involved firing missiles into the sea and sending planes and ships across the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait in August in response to a visit to the island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Last month, China sent a record-breaking 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force after expressing anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a U.S. annual defense spending bill.
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