Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has increased pressure on Taiwan through military, political, and economic means as ties have worsened. Growing Taiwan-China tensionsĬhinese pressure on the self-ruled island has been rising steadily in recent years. One day later, Taiwan's president announced extending compulsory military service to one year from four months, saying that the current duration of service was insufficient. The Chinese military said the exercises were in response to "provocations" and "collusion" between the US and Taiwan, describing them as a "strike drill." The Chinese incursion crossed the median line and is believed to be one of its largest to date Image: Gong Yulong/Xinhua/AP Photo/picture allianceīeijing had earlier expressed anger at a US annual defense spending bill that included some Taiwan-related provisions. What did China do?Ĭhina deployed 71 warplanes including dozens of fighter jets over the weekend to conduct military exercises around the strait, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said on Monday.įorty-seven of the Chinese aircraft crossed the median line, an unofficial boundary once accepted by both sides. The sale comes days after China conducted one of its largest incursions into Taiwan-controlled airspace. When announcing the sale, the US stressed that it will improve Taiwan's capability to meet current and future threats, but that it would not "alter the basic military balance in the region." The new anti-tank system is capable of scattering both anti-tank and anti-personnel mines from a ground vehicle or helicopter.Ĭhina argues that the self-ruled island is part of its territory and warns that US support for Taiwan would destabilize the region. The Defense Department said the sale aims to serve "US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability." The Pentagon said approval for the sale came late Wednesday and also includes Volcano anti-tank munition-laying systems, cargo trucks, ammunition and logistics support packages, among other services. The US State Department has approved the sale of vehicle-launched anti-tank systems to Taiwan worth $180 million (€169 million), as tensions between Taipei and Beijing continue to rise.
0 kommentar(er)
