Taiwan‘s president slammed China on its second day of military exercises near the island, saying the country is working to deliberately undermine “regional stability through military intimidation.”
China said it was merely responding to Taiwanese forces and taking the “necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te expressed his “strongest condemnation” over the exercises.
“This is a blatant provocation against regional security and the international order,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that Taipei would not escalate the situation. China believes Taiwan is part of its sovereign territory and has not ruled out military action to retake it.
Taiwan also said China’s two-day war games, code-named “Justice Mission 2025,” were “highly provocative and reckless.”
During the war games, China’s military fired off volleys of missiles into the air as dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels crowded near Taiwan. The country’s state media said it was practicing for a “blockade” of Taiwan.
China said they deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters, and bombers “to conduct drills on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, simulated strikes, assault on maritime targets, as well as anti-air and anti-submarine operations.”
The show of force follows a round of arms sales from the United States to Taiwan, which China said it would “forcefully counter.” China said any attempt to prevent its unification with Taiwan “will inevitably end in failure.”
President Donald Trump did not show concern for Taiwan following the exercises, noting that China has conducted such drills around the island for years. He did not believe Chinese President Xi Jinping was ready for an invasion of the island.
“I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” Trump said, adding that he had a “great” relationship with Xi.
Tseng Chang-chih, an 80-year-old Taiwanese fruit seller, told ABC News that he was not concerned.
CHINA’S MILITARY IS STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF ITS GUN
“If you stand your ground, there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Tseng said.
“War? Impossible. It’s just posturing. If they really attacked Taiwan, they would have to pay a price,” he said.
