Taiwan Carries Out Artillery Firing Drills Amid Chinese Military War Games
ForbesDec 26, 2022
Taiwan Begins Live-Fire Drills as China Extends War Games
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Image copyright:Â AFP [via Al Jazeera]
The Facts
On Tues., Taiwan's armed forces launched drills simulating defensive operations against an invasion on the island as China's Eastern Theater Command extended exercises near Taiwan that were first expected to end on Sunday.
While a military spokesperson asserted that Taiwan's defensive drills are part of its previously scheduled annual military war games, the island's Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu, accused China of preparing to attack the nation.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China is threatening to disrupt peace in the Indo-Pacific region with its provocative military drills around Taiwan. Beijing is attempting to routinize military exercises in the Strait, something Taipei can't allow to happen. The autonomously ruled island has a right to exist, and is justified in doing whatever is needed to protect its independence.
Pro-China narrative
China's exercises are necessary to both prepare the Chinese military for any potential engagement initiated by the US and push forward the reunification process. China has every right to assert itself over its own sovereign territory of Taiwan, and the US is playing with fire by disregarding its previous diplomatic agreements with China.
