TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's military posted a photo allegedly taken by one of its planes of Taiwan's Central Mountain Range amid "strike drills" conducted by a record 71 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships on Sunday (Dec. 25).
The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced on Sunday it had organized "joint combat readiness patrols and joint firepower strike drills of all armed forces in the sea and airspace around Taiwan." Among the photos it included from the mission was an image purportedly taken from a Chinese military aircraft allegedly showing Taiwan's Central Mountain Range.
Eastern Theater Command Spokesman Shi Yi (施毅) was cited on Weibo by China's state-run People's Daily as confirming the "strike drills" around Taiwan and stating that they were a "resolute response to the current provocation of the U.S.-Taiwan escalation." He added that Eastern Theater forces will take "all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
PLA bomber takes off on "strike drill" to be conducted around Taiwan. (Weibo, Eastern Theater Command photo)
The MND said that as of 6 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 26), 71 PLA military aircraft and seven naval vessels were tracked around Taiwan, a record number for a 24-hour period. The ministry stated that China once again "highlighted its mentality of using force to resolve differences and undermine regional peace and stability."
According to the ministry, it uses joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance methods to attain a full picture of developments in the area and in accordance with the principle of "guarding the median line, guarding territorial waters, and guarding sovereignty," dispatched forces to respond in a "timely and appropriate manner." It also emphasized that the cooperation between Taiwan and U.S. will foster "freedom, openness, peace, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."
Warship allegedly moving toward "target area" around Taiwan. (Weibo, Eastern Theater Command photo)
China's sudden escalation comes shortly after President Joe Biden's signature of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which calls for US$2 billion (NT$61.4 billion) in loan assistance for Taiwan to purchase U.S. weapons and defense equipment on Friday (Dec. 23). The act also authorizes the creation of a stockpile of US$100 million worth of munitions, calls for the expedition of arms purchase requests, and urges the Pentagon to include Taiwan in the 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) joint exercises.
The ministry stated that China’s “military intimidation” actions are clearly aimed at "psychologically intimidating the Taiwanese people," which will "not help its international image." It vowed that the nation's armed forces are "absolutely determined, capable, and confident in defending national sovereignty and ensuring national defense."
