China launches surprise military exercises around Taiwan | Taiwan

China has launched large -scale military exercises Taiwanaccusing his leaders of being “separatists” and “parasites” who were pushing the democratic island into war.

The Trapani, accompanied by a propaganda campaign, were launched without notice on Tuesday morning. The Army of Popular Liberation (PLA) Chinese said he was a “severe warning” to Taiwan democratically elected government for what Beijing claims is the separatist activity.

The forces of the Pla Navy, the army and the missile force were approaching Taiwan by “multiple directions”, said the Chinese oriental theater command, which manages military operations in the region, on its official social media account account.

He said that the exercises would focus on “readings readiness to combat at sea and in the air, kidnapped a complete control, hitting maritime and terrestrial objectives and by imposing blocking controls on areas and key routes”.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said he took over 19 Pla ships around Taiwan by 6 on Tuesday, including the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong. More than 10 of the ships approached the contiguous area of ​​Taiwan, which extends for 24 nautical miles (44 km) from the coast, they told military officials in Reuters. The Taiwan soldiers had lined up planes, navy ships and coastal missile systems in response, said the ministry.

Beijing says that Taiwan is a Chinese territory And he is building the ability to grasp it from military force. Analysts believe it is not yet there, but has made significant progress and in the meantime Use military pressure – as exercises – and other coercive means to push Taiwan towards submission.

“” Taiwan Independent “means war and pursuing” Taiwan Independent “means pushing the people of Taiwan in a dangerous war situation,” said Zhu Fenglan, spokesman for the Taiwan affairs of Beijing.

Taiwan, who is recognized as a country by a dozen others mainly in the Pacific and in the Caribbean, operates as a sovereign state with his own government, military and democratically elected currency. His government and people oppose in an overwhelming way to the perspective of Chinese domination.

The Pla has also released several propaganda videos and posters, declaring that he was “closing” on Taiwan and depicting an assault on a large scale on the island, including missile attacks. Other images called President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, a “parasite that courts the final destruction” and have portrayed it as a cartoon insect held by chopsticks on a burning Taipei. That cartoon, which was in Chinese and English, also showed him that he kept a former opposition figure, Ko Wen-Je, in a cage, who seemed to cause Taiwan-Ko fever home policy is now in prison on charges of corruption, but some supporters have called him a political persecution.

China has launched numerous exercises against Taiwan in recent years, often in response to the acts perceived of separatism or independence. Lai, which was elected last year Continue the rule of the democratic progressive party in favor of the sovereign, has adopted a frank approach to crossed tensions. Last month he China declared a “foreign hostile force” Based on national security legislation and has announced a series of measures to counter its growing influence e Spying operations.

Tuesday’s drills are slightly deferred by the most recent efforts, which have not been so explicitly linked to Taiwan’s “punishment”. They were also launched with little warning. The government and Taiwan soldiers have increased their response training in the middle of the growing concern for the fact that Beijing could launch a real attack or a block with the shoulders of a drill.

Amanda Hsiao, a director of the Chinese practice of the Eurasia group, said the propaganda on Tuesday “It clarifies that China is breaking from what has been a relatively quiet approach from Trump’s elections.”

“It is mainly about the speech of March 13 of Lai that Beijing found provocative,” he said. “Advertising around the year probably also has the United States in mind: they want to persuade the Trump administration that Lai is a plantage and To dissuade the United States from maintaining high levels supporting Taiwan. “

The secretary of the United States defense, Pete Hegseth, has visited several Asian countries in the last few days, underlining that counteracting China and dissuading it from Taiwan’s attack was a Key priority for the United States.