China Conducts Joint Naval and Air Force Exercises Near Taiwan the Day After Lai Ching-te's Return

The Chinese military conducted joint naval and air patrols and exercises in the waters surrounding Taiwan on the 19th in response to Vice President Lai Ching-te, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Taiwan's next presidential election, visiting South America via the United States.

Vice President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to reports from the state-run Xinhua News Agency, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army stated that "the Eastern Theater Command conducted joint naval and air combat readiness patrols and troop joint exercises around the island of Taiwan" on that day. The spokesperson added, "The exercises focused on coordination between ships and aircraft, sea and air control, and assessed the joint operational combat capabilities of the Eastern Theater Command units." Furthermore, he emphasized, "'Taiwan independence' separatist forces colluding with external forces to provoke is a stern warning."

Vice President Lai is currently the leading candidate in Taiwan's upcoming presidential election in terms of approval ratings. On the 12th, he departed to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new president of Paraguay, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in South America, as a special envoy of President Tsai Ing-wen, and returned the day before. On the 13th (local time), during a luncheon with overseas compatriots in New York, a transit stop, he stated that "many countries support Taiwan and are paying attention to the Taiwan Strait."

China targeted Vice President Lai's remarks, mobilizing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and the Chinese Embassy in the United States to strongly condemn him with harsh expressions such as "troublemaker." China also expressed discomfort toward the United States for allowing his transit. Some analysts predict that China might conduct another "Taiwan blockade" exercise similar to those carried out last August in response to then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and in April following the meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.