On Thursday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense released a video stating that the military exercises conducted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are not conducive to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, further highlighting the authoritarian nature of the CCP.
The Eastern Theater Command of the CCP declared military exercises targeting Taiwan on Thursday, starting from 7:45 am on the 23rd until the 24th around Taiwan and the surrounding Kinmen Islands. These military exercises were expected and aimed at pressuring the newly inaugurated President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te.
Lai Ching-te was inaugurated on Monday, becoming the 16th President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Although the CCP has never ruled Taiwan in history, it has recently been conducting nearly daily military intrusions into Taiwan’s airspace, demanding that Taiwan accept its claims of sovereignty.
Lai Ching-te, aged 64, has repeatedly proposed talks with Beijing, only to be rejected. Lai and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party have stated that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.
Conversely, Beijing labels Lai Ching-te as a pro-independence figure.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense stated that in response to the CCP’s irrational provocations and destabilizing actions in the region, it has deployed naval, air, and ground forces to protect freedom and democracy, safeguarding the sovereignty of the Republic of China.
Subsequently, on Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense released a video with English subtitles on social media platform X, stating that Taiwan has a democratic society, beautiful scenery, and people leading peaceful and prosperous lives, but the continuous dispatch of CCP aircraft and vessels near Taiwan has substantially undermined global peace and stability.
“This military exercise, carried out under false pretenses, not only hinders peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait but also highlights the authoritarian nature of the CCP,” the Ministry of National Defense stated.
The Ministry pledged that all soldiers would be on high alert, ready to defend freedom and democracy and safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of China through concrete actions.
“Peace is priceless. There are no winners in war,” the video emphasizes these two points prominently at the end.
The official account of the Ministry of National Defense stated, “The CCP’s military exercises highlight its hegemonic mindset, disrupting regional peace and stability… We do not seek conflict, but we will not shy away from it.”
“We have the capability and confidence to ensure national security and defend national sovereignty. At the same time, we call on the international community to condemn the irrational behavior of the People’s Republic of China,” the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense added.
Earlier, the spokesperson of the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense also released another video on their YouTube account titled “Defending Freedom and Democracy, Safeguarding National Sovereignty.”
Taiwanese netizens commented below the video, “Thank you to the military for safeguarding our homeland. Taiwan is a collective responsibility for all citizens, not something a single party can claim. When the nation is in trouble, it concerns every citizen.”
Stephen Sklenka, Vice Admiral of the Indo-Pacific Command in the United States, stated in Canberra on Thursday that the CCP’s military exercises are part of continuous pressure actions against Taiwan since 2022. He added that what was once rare intrusion into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone has now become the norm.
“The normalization of abnormal behaviors is happening. We anticipated this behavior and it does not mean we should not condemn it. We need to publicly condemn it, not just the United States, but also other countries in the region need to condemn the CCP,” he said.