China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began conducting “punishment” drills — code-named Joint Sword-2024A — around Taiwan earlier this morning, sending aircraft and warships around the island. The drills are in response to “separatist acts” allegedly committed by the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Beijing claimed the PLA Eastern Theater Command is conducting exercises to test military capabilities, stating in a press release:
Naval Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a written statement that on May 23, the PLA Eastern Theater Command continued to conduct drills on such subjects as sea assaults, land strikes, air defense and anti-submarine in the airspace and waters to the north and south of Taiwan Island, in a bid to test the multi-domain coordination and joint strike capabilities of the theater command’s troops.
The ROC stated the PLA is threatening Taiwan’s democracy, stating in a press release:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has noted that China on May 23 launched a two-day military drill around Taiwan called Joint Sword-2024A, escalating tensions in the region. MOFA urges China to exercise self-restraint and stop any actions that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raise tensions in the region. It has been evident to all that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait have become a matter of international consensus. MOFA expresses regret that China, despite continuous and strong international concern over developments in the Taiwan Strait, has repeatedly threatened Taiwan’s democracy and unilaterally disrupted the cross-strait status quo and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The Republic of China (Taiwan) will spare no effort in safeguarding the cross-strait status quo and urges China to return to reason and show self-restraint, to stop unilaterally undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and to refrain from actions that raise regional tensions. MOFA reiterates that Taiwan will continue to firmly uphold democracy. This commitment will not change as a result of any coercion or suppression. Taiwan is a bastion for global democracy and freedom. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperative ties with like-minded partners to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy, uphold the rules-based international order, protect the cross-strait status quo, and ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
