China Announces Military Drill Near Taiwan After Lai Ching-te's 'Red Terror' Remarks
Quick Look
- Beijing's maritime safety administration announced a two-day military drill near Dongshan Island, Fujian province, following remarks by Taiwan's Lai Ching-te, who called on DPP members to oppose 'red terror' from Beijing.
- China's Taiwan Affairs Office criticized Lai's 'Taiwan independence' stance.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The military drill follows remarks by Taiwan's Lai Ching-te, who called on DPP members to oppose 'red terror' from Beijing, which China's Taiwan Affairs Office criticized as challenging the 'one-China principle'.
The drill will run from 6am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday, according to a navigation warning issued by Beijing’s maritime safety administration on Wednesday.
In Lai’s speech at the DPP annual convention on Sunday, he called on party members to oppose the “red terror” coming from Beijing.
On Wednesday, Zhang Han, spokeswoman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Lai’s remarks “exposed his unchanging ‘Taiwan independence’ stance” and that his latest speech “recklessly challenged the one-China principle”.
Based on the coordinates provided by the maritime safety administration, the drill on Thursday covers an area bounded by five points in waters to the east and south of Dongshan Island, which is part of Zhangzhou in Fujian province.
The drill extends into waters east of Dongshan Island towards the Taiwan Strait, with all drill zones within 12km (7.4 miles) of the mainland coast.
On Friday, the drill will be conducted in a rectangular nearshore maritime zone south of Dongshan Island and closer to the Dongshan coastline. The two areas partially overlap, based on the coordinates.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The military drill will run from 6am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday.
Very likely · Within hours
Open Questions
- What is Taiwan's official reaction to the drill?
- What are the specific objectives of the drill?
- Will other nations comment on the drill?
