TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Presidential Office said that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) ordered a rigorous response to Chinese military exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday.
China's Eastern Theater Command senior spokesperson Shi Yi (施毅) said the PLA would conduct joint army, navy, and rocket force exercises “that close in on Taiwan island from multiple directions." Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said Tuesday morning that ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific is the greatest consensus within the international community, per CNA.
Kuo said Lai had “immediately ordered a rigorous response from national security and defense agencies and maintain full situational awareness.” In the face of external threats, Kuo said the government will defend Taiwan’s democratic and constitutional system.
She told the public there was no cause for concern.
In a tweet uploaded around noon, the Presidential Office said, “China's blatant military provocations not only threaten peace in the Taiwan Strait but also undermine security in the entire region." The office added, “We strongly condemn China's escalatory behavior.”
Kuo said China has continued to engage in unilateral actions such as military provocations and gray-zone harassment around the Taiwan Strait. She said this also extends to international waters near New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the South China Sea near the Philippines.
The spokesperson said these actions undermine regional stability, unilaterally escalate tensions, and challenge the international order. “China is recognized by the international community as a troublemaker, and the Presidential Office strongly condemns such behavior,” said Kuo.
Kuo said that maintaining regional peace and stability is the common responsibility of both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and Taiwan's determination to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait remains unchanged. She urged China to return to the rules-based international order.
The Ministry of National Defense pointed out that from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, 19 Chinese military vessels, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, were detected around the Taiwan Strait. The military closely monitored the situation and released videos and photos of the PLA vessels under surveillance.
