China conducts ‘United Sharp Sword’ military drills in Taiwan Strait

Asia-Pacific, News April 9, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

People’s Liberation Army of China started the three-day-long military drills in the Taiwan Strait, dubbed as United Sharp Sword. The exercise comes at a time when Beijing has expressed anger over Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s trip to the United States.

Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army announced that it would hold a “combat readiness patrol” around the Island of Taiwan from April 8 to April 10, 2023. The drill involves military exercises in the Taiwan Strait to the north and south of the island as well as in the sea and airspace to its east.

“This is a serious warning to the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces’ collusion and provocation, and it is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the PLA said in a statement.

The exercise began hours after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned after completing her visit to the United States where she met with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy. During her meeting with McCarthy, President Tsai said that her government would continue to work with the U.S. and other democracies in the world despite facing “continued authoritarian expansionism” from China.

*^{U.S. Speaker of the House and Representative Kevin McCarthy hosting Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen in the United States. (Image Credit: Twitter/@SpeakerMcCarthy)}*

Tsai’s statements and trip to the U.S. did not set well with Beijing. Apart from showing its agitation through the military exercises, Beijing also imposed tightened sanctions against Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US, and the Ronald Reagan Library where Tsai and McCarthy.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said that it was closely monitoring the situation and would respond appropriately to defend the Island. The ministry also released a statement in response to China’s military exercises stating that Beijing was using China was using Tsai’s U.S. visit “as an excuse to carry out military exercises, which has seriously damaged regional peace, stability, and security”.

The statement further said that “The military will respond with a calm, rational and serious attitude, and will stand guard and monitor in accordance with the principles of ‘not escalating nor disputes’ to defend national sovereignty and national security”.

*^{Chinese Navy ships including the aircraft carrier Liaoning (C) take part in a military drill in the western Pacific Ocean. (Image Credit: Reuters/via CGTN)}*

PLA’s large-scale military exercise features a wide array of modern weaponry. China’s state-owned media outlet reported that “long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers, and refuellers” have been deployed to participate in the exercise.

According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, at least 71 military aircraft and nine naval ships crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial line dividing the Taiwan Strait into two halves.

One day before the exercises, PLA’s Shandong aircraft carrier was also spotted around the area participating in the exercises in the western Pacific region. The aircraft carrier was spotted about 370 kilometers off the coast of Taiwan in the eastern waters. There has been no official comment from Beijing on the presence of the Shandong in the Pacific.

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