China fires missiles on second day of military exercises called by Taiwan

Beijing — China launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets and warships around Taiwan on Tuesday for a second day of live-fire exercises aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and attacks on maritime targets.

The two-day war exercises, codenamed “Mission Justice 2025,” have been criticized by Taipei as “highly provocative and reckless.”

Porcelain claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out military action to seize the island democracy.

News journalists in Pingtan, a Chinese island located at the closest point to the main island of Taiwan, saw a burst of rockets launched into the air around 9:00 a.m. (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday, leaving trails of white smoke.

At least 10 rockets were launched in quick succession, sending a thunderous sound that echoed across the sky and drew tourists to the boardwalk to take photos and videos on their phones.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stated shortly afterwards in a statement that it had “conducted long-range live-fire drills in the waters north of Taiwan Island and achieved the desired effects.”

The show of force follows a Excellent round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States. – the main sponsor of Taiwan’s security – and comments from the prime minister of Japan that any use of force against Taiwan by China could justify a military response from Tokyo.

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, said Tuesday that Beijing will “strongly counter” large-scale U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, adding that any attempt to obstruct China’s unification with the island “will inevitably end in failure.”

Beijing said this month it would take “resolute and forceful measures” to safeguard its territory after US lawmakers approved the latest major arms sale to the island.

President Trump said Monday that the United States had no advance warning about the Chinese exercises, but that he was not particularly concerned about them either. He ruled out the possibility that his counterpart Xi Jinping would order an invasion of Taiwan, noting that China has held exercises around the island for many years.

“I don’t think he’s going to do it,” Trump said, touting what he called his “great relationship” with the Chinese leader.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called the exercises a “punitive response to Taiwanese separatist forces and a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te expressed his “strongest condemnation” and said Beijing was “deliberately undermining regional stability through military intimidation.”

“This is a blatant provocation against regional security and international order,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that Taipei would not escalate the situation.

China prepares to blockade Taiwan

China said Tuesday morning that it had deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters and bombers “to conduct exercises on the topics of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, simulated attacks, assault on maritime targets, as well as anti-aircraft and anti-submarine operations.”

A statement from the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command said the exercises in the waters north and south of Taiwan “tested sea-air coordination and integrated blockade and control capabilities.”

State broadcaster CCTV reported that a central theme of the exercises was the “blockade” of key Taiwanese ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

Chinese authorities published a map of five large areas around Taiwan where the war exercises would take place. They are scheduled to end at 6:00 pm on Tuesday.

Taiwan said the zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, had affected international sea and air routes.

Dozens of flights to Taiwan’s Kinmen and Matsu islands have been cancelled, according to the island’s Civil Aviation Administration, affecting about 6,000 passengers, while more than 850 scheduled international flights will be “affected” and could be delayed.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday it had detected 130 Chinese military aircraft near the island, as well as 14 Chinese navy ships and eight unspecified government ships, in the 24 hours ending at 6:00 a.m.

Taiwan’s coast guard said it deployed 14 ships to monitor naval activity, “employing a one-on-one monitoring approach to strongly deter ships.”

“So many exercises like this over the years”

Many ordinary Taiwanese reacted stoically.

“There have been so many drills like this over the years that we are used to it,” said fishmonger Chiang Sheng-ming, 24, at a market in the capital, Taipei.

“If you stand firm, there is nothing to fear,” added fruit seller Tseng Chang-chih, 80.

“War? Impossible. It’s just a posturing. If they really attacked Taiwan, they would have to pay a price.”

China’s military last held large-scale live-fire exercises around Taiwan in April. Surprise maneuvers condemned by Taipei as “blatant military provocations” and “escalation behavior” that he said threatened peace.