PLA launches military drills around Taiwan

Beijing responds to March 13 speech by Taiwanese leader William Ching-te Lai

A spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army announced just now

Starting from April 1, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will organize forces from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, deploying ships and aircraft to approach Taiwan Island from multiple directions. The focus will be on conducting exercises related to maritime and air combat readiness patrols, gaining comprehensive control, striking at sea and land targets, and blocking key regions and passages. These activities aim to test the joint combat readiness of the theater forces. This is a serious warning and a strong deterrent to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, as well as a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain national unity.

Poster released by the Eastern Theatre Command of the PLA

A spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese Mailand said just now

The joint military exercises conducted by the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army around Taiwan Island are a resolute punishment for the provocative actions of the Lai Ching-te administration’s reckless pursuit of “independence.” They serve as a stern warning to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces who deliberately undermine peace in the Taiwan Strait, and are a necessary measure to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Lai Ching-te stubbornly insists on a “Taiwan independence” stance, brazenly labeling the mainland as a “foreign hostile force,” and has put forward a so-called “17-point strategy,” which provocatively challenges the mainland, stirs up “anti-China” sentiments, obstructs cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, and intensifies tensions in the Taiwan Strait. This firmly establishes her as a “destroyer of cross-strait peace” and a “creator of Taiwan Strait crises,” exposing her ugly opposition to peace, communication, democracy, and humanity. We will not tolerate or condone this in any way and must resolutely counter and severely punish these actions.

“Taiwan independence” means war, and pursuing “Taiwan independence” would push the people of Taiwan into the dangers of war. Our determination to resolve the Taiwan issue and achieve national reunification is as firm as a rock, and our capabilities are indestructible. We will never allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan from China, nor will we leave any room for any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities.

It should be pointed out that our countermeasures target the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, not the vast majority of Taiwanese compatriots. We hope that the broad Taiwanese population will stand on the right side of history, be proud Chinese, distinguish right from wrong, act according to righteousness, and join the mainland in resolutely opposing “Taiwan independence” separatism and external interference, while firmly safeguarding the shared homeland of the Chinese nation and working together to create a bright future of national reunification and national rejuvenation.

Many who don’t follow the situation may find it surprising, but perhaps not readers of this newsletter.

As I pointed out two weeks ago on March 16 in Tensions over Taiwan, in response to William Ching-te Lai’s March 13 speech,

While the mainland’s reaction has so far been limited to rhetoric, tensions across the Taiwan Strait have once again entered a period of heightened turbulence……
Lai’s designation of the Chinese mainland as a “foreign hostile force” is likely to be a major irritant for Beijing…
Lai also took a systematic approach in formulating his 17 measures, which could easily lead Beijing to conclude that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader is taking a comprehensive and substantial step toward deepening the divide between Taiwan and the mainland.

The “foreign hostile force” tag and the “17 measures” are precisely what the spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office cited at the very top to justify the ongoing military drill.

Ma Ying-jeou, the former Taiwan leader for 8 years belonging to the opposition KMT party, probably also saw it coming. As I highlighted in Tensions over Taiwan, Ma said in a Meta post

The announcement made by President Lai Ching-te after convening the National Security Council meeting yesterday will lead to a major crisis and impact cross-strait relations as well as the situation in the Taiwan Strait…I solemnly call upon President Lai to recognize the gravity of this national crisis and challenge.

On the same day of Lai’s speech on March 13, I warned on Twitter, which is also included in Tensions over Taiwan on March 16

Let me go out on a limb and warn that the top China news of the day should be Taiwan - the tensions have suddenly ratcheted up very high with the leader's speech in Taipei, probably qualitatively.