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By John Feng and Micah McCartney
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China has launched multi-branch military drills as "punishment" for Taiwan, days after the self-ruled island inaugurated President Lai Ching-te of the Beijing-skeptic Democratic Progressive Party.
Newsweek maps show where the Chinese exercises have so far taken place.
China claims Taiwan as its own, though the Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing has never ruled there. Beijing frequently protests visits by foreign officials as violations of its sovereignty.
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Eastern Theater spokesperson Col. Li Xi said Thursday the People's Liberation Army would carry out the "Sword 2024A joint exercise" in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, with a focus on "joint naval and air combat readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive control of the battlefield, joint precision strikes on key targets, and other subjects."
He called the exercises a "powerful punishment" dealt out to "Taiwan independence separatist forces" and a warning to "external forces" not to intervene or provoke.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry condemned the display, saying it regretted China's "irrational provocations and actions that undermined regional peace and stability." It added that it had dispatched sea, air, and ground forces to "protect freedom and democracy and defend the sovereignty of the Republic of China with practical actions."
The Republic of China is the official name for Taiwan, used by the nationalist government that fled to the island after losing the Chinese Civil War to Communist forces in 1949.
Taiwan's defense authorities said the CCP had continuously deployed warships and military aircraft near Taiwan and said the ongoing exercises underscore China's "hegemonic nature."
The Taiwanese Defense Ministry's official news portal posted footage to social media of anti-ship missile systems being rolled out as a precaution.
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Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Defense Department, the U.S. State Department and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., with written requests for comment.
The China coast guard said it had deployed ships near Taiwan-held islands off China's coast, including the heavily fortified island counties of Kinmen and Matsu. The service's spokesperson, Gan Yu, stated the ships were sent to "test joint patrol, rapid response, and emergency response capabilities."
"It's very clear that China's military drill today is targeted at President Lai's inaugural speech," Alexander Huang, director of international affairs for the Kuomintang, Taiwan's largest opposition party, told Newsweek.
During his inauguration, Lai called on Beijing to "face the reality of the Republic of China's existence." Lai also said he hopes Taiwan's neighbor will "choose dialogue over confrontation" and proposed early good-faith measures to improve ties, such as resuming reciprocal tourism and allowing Chinese students to study at Taiwanese universities.
Huang noted that for the Chinese leadership, Lai's statement on cross-strait relations "would have overshadowed any possibility of improving ties."
Beijing has previously conducted military exercises around Taiwan to signal its displeasure, including a major display following former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit in August of 2022, which included, for the first time, firing a ballistic missile over the island.
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