Tag: Taiwan

China FM warns of ‘dangerous consequences’ of Taiwan criticism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pryM_ffgT2I Criticising China over Taiwan will have dangerous consequences, Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned Friday, as he insisted Beijing is a “growing force for peace and justice”. Two weeks ago, China launched three days of military exercises around Taiwan — simulating targeted strikes and a blockade of the island — in response to a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “Recently, there has been some absurd rhetoric accusing China… […]

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Biden, Macron talk to ease tensions after French leader’s China trip

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden and President Emmanuel Macron signaled efforts Thursday to ease tensions in the wake of the French leader’s recent remarks on Taiwan and the European security relationship with Washington. The White House and Elysee said in separate statements after the phone call that the leaders discussed Macron’s state visit in the first week of April to Beijing, where he spent several hours with President Xi Jinping. As […]

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‘Get ready’: Taiwan civilians train for Chinese invasion

by Yan ZHAO / Jack MOORE Agence France-Presse TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Physician Lin Yuh-ting has taken time out of her weekend to learn civilian defense tips she can relay to her two young children in case China invades self-ruled Taiwan. There are no weapons, just vital training on how to react to China’s hybrid warfare. The classes are part of a growing Taiwanese urgency to be ready for a worst-case scenario after seeing the […]

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‘I am Taiwanese’: China threat toughens island’s identity

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — At a barbed-wire museum where political prisoners were once held, visitors lauded Taiwan’s modern-day democracy shaped by its own national identity on the island across from authoritarian China. Taipei’s Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park is a stark reminder of the island’s history as a one-party state under the Kuomintang nationalists who fled to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Secretive courts tried those accused of assisting […]

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US says naval destroyer sailed through Taiwan Strait

The United States has sent a naval warship through the Taiwan Strait in a “freedom of navigation” operation days after China staged massive war games around the self-ruled island. The USS Milius guided-missile destroyer “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit” on Sunday, the US Navy said, in the first US operation in the waters separating Taiwan from mainland China since January. Beijing launched three days of military exercises around Taiwan on April 8 in which […]

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China rocket launch sends debris into sea near Taiwan: Taipei authorities

Taipei, Taiwan | AFP | Sunday 4/16/2023 China said Sunday it had launched a satellite into orbit, with authorities in Taiwan saying rocket debris had fallen into the sea where Beijing announced a no-sail zone this week. Maritime authorities in China’s eastern Fujian province this week banned ships from an area north of Taiwan from 9:00 am (0100 GMT) to 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) on Sunday due to “possible falling rocket wreckage”. Taiwan’s transport ministry […]

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China to ban ships from area near Taiwan due to ‘falling rocket wreckage’

by Matthew WALSH China will ban ships from entering an area north of Taiwan on Sunday due to “possible falling rocket wreckage”, a provincial maritime authority said, days after Beijing conducted large-scale military drills around the self-ruled island. The area around 160 kilometres (100 miles) from the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, will be closed from 9:00 am (0100 GMT) to 3:00 pm (0700 GMT), the maritime safety administration of China’s eastern Fujian province said Thursday. It […]

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China sets up no-fly zone near Taiwan for ‘space activities’: Taipei

  Taipei, Taiwan | AFP | Wednesday 4/12/2023 China will set up a brief no-fly zone north of Taiwan on Sunday due to what the island’s transport ministry described as “space activities”. The closure comes after Beijing completed three days of massive war games around self-ruled Taiwan last week, during which China simulated targeted strikes and practised a blockade of the island. The no-fly zone does not appear to be linked to the drills, with […]

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Taiwan ruling party picks VP as presidential candidate

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan’s ruling party nominated Vice President William Lai as its candidate for next year’s presidential elections on Wednesday, choosing a contender who has been more outspoken on Taiwanese independence than incumbent Tsai Ing-wen. The announcement comes two days after China formally ended massive war games around democratic Taiwan that saw it simulate targeted strikes and practice a blockade of the island. The nomination is almost certain to anger China, which openly […]

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Taiwan says 8 Chinese warships in waters around island

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Eight Chinese warships were still operating in waters around the island on Tuesday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said, a day after Beijing declared an end to its massive war games. China launched three days of military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan on Saturday that saw it simulate targeted strikes and practice a blockade of the island. The show of force was a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker […]

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US starts week of courting Asian partners after Taiwan flare-up

by Shaun TANDON Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss growing military ties with the Philippines on Tuesday before heading to Vietnam and Japan days after a new flare-up of tensions with China over Taiwan. The Philippines, Vietnam and Japan all have longstanding territorial disputes with China that have grown more intense in recent years as Beijing flexes its muscle. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will […]

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URGENT: Taiwan detected 12 Chinese warships, 91 jets on final day of drills: defence ministry

Taipei, Taiwan | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 Taiwan’s defence ministry said it detected 12 Chinese warships and 91 aircraft around the island on Monday, after Beijing ended three-day military exercises. “Although (China’s) Eastern Theatre Command has announced the end of its exercise, the military will never relax its efforts to strengthen its combat readiness,” the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that its tally of ships and aircraft was as of 6 pm (1000 […]

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