China holds drills near Taiwan, response to VP's US trip

Bangkok Post

China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday as a "serious warning" to separatist forces in an angry but widely expected response to Vice President William Lai's visit to the United States, drawing condemnation from Taipei. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Beijing's ships and jets were deployed around Taiwan on Saturday in drills seen as a response

00:07 to Taiwan Vice President William Lai's visit to the United States.

00:11 The People's Liberation Army said in text accompanying clips it shared, the drills were

00:16 to test combat capabilities of joint operations forces.

00:21 Taiwan's defense ministry said on Saturday it detected 42 Chinese aircraft and eight

00:25 ships involved in drills around the island, while 26 Chinese jets crossed the median line

00:31 of the Taiwan Strait, or just about 25 miles from Taiwan's waters.

00:36 Taiwan's military on Saturday released a video of undated clips showing its troops maneuvering

00:41 at sea on city streets, saying China's drills were a threat to regional peace and liberal

00:47 democratic values.

00:49 China's exercises are seen as a response to Taiwan Vice President William Lai transiting

00:53 in the U.S. while visiting Paraguay the past week.

00:56 Lai has since returned to Taiwan.

00:59 China, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory, views Lai as a separatist

01:03 and a troublemaker.

01:07 Lai became vice president in 2020, standing as Tsai Ing-wen's running mate.

01:11 He's the leading candidate in Taiwan's presidential elections next year.

01:15 Beijing has repeatedly called on Washington not to engage with Taiwanese leaders, as they

01:20 view it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China.

01:25 But most Taiwanese appeared unbothered by Saturday's drills.

01:30 Many have grown accustomed to China's threats.

01:34 This man in Taipei tells Reuters he thinks China's drills are more of a show, and it

01:38 should be quite difficult for China to launch a real attack.

01:44 While this woman says she doesn't think a war will happen, and she's unafraid.

01:48 Besides if a war does break out, she thinks the U.S. will come to Taiwan's aid.

01:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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