Taiwan: "Chinese Military Violates Taiwan Strait Median Line... Appears to Conduct Attack Simulation Drills"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] On the 6th, the third day of large-scale Chinese military exercises surrounding Taiwan, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense officially claimed via Twitter that "it is judged that the Chinese military is conducting simulated attacks on Taiwan." It added, "A large number of Chinese People's Liberation Army aircraft and ships were detected operating around the Taiwan Strait on the 6th, and some crossed the median line." It further stated that in response, warning broadcasts were issued, and warships and military aircraft were dispatched, along with the activation of surface-to-air missile systems.

China's state-run news agency Xinhua announced on the 2nd that immediately after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army would conduct important military exercises and live-fire drills from 12:00 noon on the 4th (1:00 p.m. Korean time) until 12:00 noon on the 7th in six designated sea and air zones set to encircle Taiwan. Since then, amid ballistic missile launches by the Chinese military, Chinese military aircraft and ships have been crossing the Taiwan Strait median line daily. The Taiwan Strait median line is an unofficial boundary between China and Taiwan, declared in 1955 by U.S. Air Force General Benjamin Davis to prevent military clashes between China and Taiwan, following the mutual defense treaty between the U.S. and Taiwan signed in December 1954.

Amid China's continued 'encirclement' military demonstrations around Taiwan, Chinese military drones have been repeatedly appearing over Kinmen Island and the Matsu Islands. Kinmen Island is only 3.2 km away from Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China, but has been effectively controlled by Taiwan since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, making it the frontline of Taiwan's security. Like Kinmen Island, the Matsu Islands are far from Taiwan's main island and are Taiwan's frontline closest to the coast of Fujian Province. Among the Matsu Islands, Dongyin Island is just 16 km from Fuzhou City, Fujian Province.

Earlier that morning, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced that it had driven away seven drones flying over Kinmen (Jinmen/Jinmendao) Island the previous night, as well as unidentified aircraft over the Matsu Islands. The Ministry also announced that on the night of the 3rd, it warned and expelled Chinese military drones flying over Kinmen Island. It is known that drones and aircraft presumed to belong to the Chinese military frequently appear over the Matsu Islands. Taiwan believes that these Chinese drones and aircraft flying over these islands are collecting information on the combat readiness posture of the Taiwanese military in the area.