US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who went to Taiwan despite all China’s warnings, left the island, but the tension did not fall. China, which officially encircled Taiwan after Pelosi set foot on the island, kept its promise. The big blockade started at 7.00 in the morning. Chinese missiles caused the tension to peak. Taiwan announced that some missiles launched by China fell into its territorial waters. Here are the first images from the region where hot developments are taking place…
The war in Ukraine for months, the rise of coronavirus cases worldwide, the Monkeypox virus…
The eyes and ears of the world have been in Taiwan for the last few days. Because while the war in Europe is not over yet, tension has peaked in the China-Taiwan conflict.
While the echoes of the visit of Nancy Pelosi, the President of the US House of Representatives, who went to Taiwan despite all the warnings of China, China kept its promise and took action at 7.00 a.m. this morning.
SEA AND AIR BLOCKADE
China started large-scale military naval and air exercises around the island of Taiwan.
Announcing that it will conduct ‘real-time’ exercises in 6 regions around Taiwan, China has taken the step that the world is waiting for.
Chinese media announced that the said exercise started at 7.00 a.m. TSI. A map of the exercise was published in the state media.
On the exercise map published by the Communist Party-led Chinese media, it is seen that the island is literally surrounded.
Beijing does not want any foreign aircraft or ships to enter this shadow during this exercise, which is called the ‘Great Blockade’.
Within the scope of the exercise, artillery firing along the Taiwan Strait is also expected.
FIRST IMAGES ARRIVED
In the first images from the region, it is clearly seen that the Chinese army is mobilising within the scope of the exercise.
Although Taiwan says the drills violate United Nations rules and amount to an air and sea blockade, Beijing does not back down.
FIRST STATEMENT FROM TAIWAN: BALLISTIC MISSILE FIRED
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence made the first statement about the exercise.
In the statement, it was stated that during the exercises, Chinese forces fired “multiple” ballistic missiles into the waters around Taiwan.
It is stated that Dongfeng missiles were launched towards the southeast and southwest of the island at 13.56 local time.
Taiwan announced that some missiles launched a few hours after this statement fell into its territorial waters.
NAMED AFTER REHEARSAL FOR REUNIFICATION
The Beijing-led Global Times newspaper described the drills as a rehearsal of ‘reunification operations’.
Chinese military expert Song Zhongping commented on the developments as follows;
“In the event of a future military conflict, it is likely that the operational plans currently being rehearsed will be translated into direct combat operations.
Taiwan and China separated during the civil war in 1949. However, China still maintains its claim on the island.
The US is walking a delicate balance in its Taiwan policy. On the one hand, it adheres to the “One China” policy, which recognises only the Chinese government and establishes diplomatic relations with Beijing instead of Taipei.
On the other hand, it maintains an informal relationship with the island, including the sale of arms for Taiwan’s self-defence.
