A defensive Taiwan turned belligerent on Tuesday and countered China’s military exercises with its own military drills. China had earlier launched unprecedented war games around the self-governed island which entered its fifth day with no respite in sight.
Taiwan’s military began a live-fire artillery drill on Tuesday simulating a defence of the island against an attack after days of massive Chinese military exercises, an AFP journalist at the site of the exercise said.
Lou Woei-jye, spokesman for Taiwan’s Eighth Army Corps, confirmed that the drills had started in the southern county of Pingtung shortly after 0040 GMT with the firing of target flares and artillery. The drill will end at around 0130 GMT, he added.
Taipei’s drills, happening on Tuesday and Thursday, will include the deployment of hundreds of troops and about 40 howitzers, the army said. Spokesman Lou said on Monday the drills were already scheduled and were not being held in response to China’s exercises.
Taiwan stages routine military drills simulating Chinese invasions. The island, last month, practiced repelling attacks from the sea in a “joint interception operation” as part of its largest annual military drills.
Furious over the visit by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, China launched its largest-ever war games around the island nation. The country started a second round of military exercises aimed at Taiwan on Monday.
The eastern theatre command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement on Weibo that it will rehearse conducting anti-submarine attacks and sea raids around the Taiwan.
On Monday, Beijing held joint combat training exercises around the island, focusing on anti-submarine and sea assault operations.
China claims Taiwan as an integral part of its territory and has vowed to reclaim the island by force one day if necessary.
