China breaks silence on large military drills around Taiwan

China spoke for the first time on Friday about military activities around Taiwan, saying it "will not be soft in its fight against independence and for reunification."

Taiwan had raised an alert about a spike in Beijing's military activity around the island on Monday, and activated an emergency response.

Some 90 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels took part in the exercises, which included simulating attacks on foreign ships and practicing blockading sea routes, a Taiwan security official said Wednesday.

What did China say about its drills around Taiwan?

After several days of silence from China regarding the military exercises — believed to be some of the largest in recent decades — the Chinese Defense Ministry issued a cryptic message, citing Sun Tzu's Art of War: "Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare
there are no constant conditions."

"Whether or not to hold exercises and when to hold them is a matter for us to decide on our own according to our own needs and the situation of the struggle," the ministry added. 

"Regardless of whether or not exercises are held, the People's Liberation Army will not be absent and will not be soft in its fight against independence and for reunification," it said. 

The recent drills marked a departure from the usual wave of propaganda that has previously accompanied China's war games around Taiwan.

Taiwan considers exercises to be over

The Defense Ministry in Taipei said Chinese navy and coast guard ships had returned to China, signaling the end of a massive maritime exercise.

"All the Chinese coast guard went back to China yesterday, thus, although they haven't officially made any announcement, we consider it over," Hsieh Ching-chin, deputy director general of Taiwan's Coast Guard.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes any international recognition of the island.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said on Friday that China's threat to the region has been evolving since 2022. 

The island's new President Lai Ching-te is an outspoken critic of Beijing. China has labeled him a "separatist."

Lai's recent US visit and call with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson irked Beijing further.

China has launched two large-scale military drills around Taiwan since Lai took office and regularly deploys fighter jets and navy ships near the island.

tg/sri (AFP, Reuters)