Taiwan is on alert for China’s military exercises following the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te, the island’s top security official said on Wednesday, adding that Beijing usually begins such exercises in June. , reports Reuters.
China, which considers democratically-governed Taiwan its own territory, has a strong aversion to Lai, considering him a dangerous separatist. The Chinese government has rejected his repeated offers for talks, including one made last week.
Lai, like current President Tsai Ing-wen, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Both say that only the people of the island can decide its future. Lai, currently vice president, will be inaugurated on May 20.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament, Director General of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-yen, said that maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait is in the interest of all members of the international community, including China.
China is currently using a “carrot and stick” approach to Taiwan, hoping to influence the incoming government’s China policy, added Tsai, who shares a surname with the president but is not related to him.
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“What needs special attention is that from June to November is the period when the Chinese Communists conduct their regular military exercises. If the Chinese Communists use this hot season as an excuse to conduct some military exercises to put additional pressure on Taiwan it’s a key point that the National Security Bureau is focusing on,” he said.
China’s Defense Ministry did not respond to calls seeking comment.
In the past four years, the Chinese military has massively increased its activities around Taiwan.
In 2022, China held major military exercises near Taiwan after a visit to Taipei by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and again last year after President Tsai met with then House Speaker Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, during a stopover in California.
Taiwan-based security sources have repeatedly warned that China could show its displeasure with Lai by using the military.
Since Lai’s election victory in January, China has maintained a steady stream of pressure on Taiwan, including coast guard patrols near a group of Taiwanese-controlled islands off the Chinese coast and the opening of new air routes across the strait. Taiwan, which Taipei says threatens aviation safety.
But Beijing has also offered to resume, albeit in a limited form, Chinese tourism to Taiwan, a proposal the Taipei government is still considering as it wants a full resumption of Chinese tourist visits.
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