00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:21 China has initiated two days of military drills
00:25 encircling Taiwan, branding them as punishment
00:28 for separatist acts.
00:30 This move comes shortly after Taiwan's newly elected leader,
00:34 Lai Ching-te was sworn in.
00:36 The ruling Communist Party of China
00:38 maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory,
00:41 despite never having controlled it,
00:43 and has vowed to reclaim the island by force if necessary.
00:47 The People's Liberation Army commenced joint military drills
00:50 involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force
00:53 around Taiwan at 7.45 AM on Thursday.
00:56 The exercises spanned Taiwan Strait and areas
00:59 to the north, south, and east of Taiwan,
01:02 as well as around Taiwan's outlying islands of Kinmen,
01:05 Matsu, Wukui, and Dongyin, which are near China's
01:09 southeastern coast.
01:11 PLA Naval Colonel Li Shi, spokesperson
01:14 for the Eastern Theater Command, described the exercises
01:17 as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan
01:20 independence forces and a serious warning
01:23 against interference and provocation by external forces.
01:26 Lai Ching-te, regarded by Beijing as a dangerous separatist
01:29 for his advocacy of Taiwan's sovereignty
01:31 and distinct identity, has taken over
01:33 from two-term president Tsai Ing-wen,
01:36 ushering in a third consecutive term
01:38 for the Democratic Progressive Party.
01:40 In response to Lai's inauguration speech,
01:43 which urged China to halt its intimidation of Taiwan,
01:46 Beijing condemned the remarks.
01:48 Taiwan's defense ministry denounced China's drills
01:50 as irrational provocations and actions
01:53 that undermined regional peace and stability.
01:56 In a statement on Thursday, the ministry declared
01:58 that it had deployed sea, air, and ground forces
02:00 in response to the drills.
02:02 "We stand by with firm will and restraint.
02:04 We seek no conflicts, but we will not shy away from one.
02:08 We have the confidence to safeguard our national security,"
02:11 the statement read.
02:12 Under Xi Jinping, China has become increasingly assertive,
02:15 escalating diplomatic, economic,
02:17 and military pressure on Taiwan.
02:19 Chinese warplanes now regularly enter Taiwan's
02:21 air defense identification zone
02:23 and cross the median line in the Taiwan Strait,
02:26 an informal demarcation that Beijing does not recognize
02:29 but had largely respected until recent years.
02:32 The latest military exercises follow increased pressure
02:35 on Lai in the days leading up to his inauguration.
02:38 On May 15, Taipei reported detecting
02:40 45 Chinese military aircraft around Taiwan,
02:43 the highest single-day number this year.
02:45 Some defense experts noted that the name
02:47 of China's latest military exercises
02:50 "Joint Swords 2024A" suggests the possibility
02:54 of additional drills later this year.
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