According to reports from foreign media citing top Taiwan national security officials, during the recent People’s Liberation Army exercises around Taiwan, two missiles were launched towards the inland direction (referred to as flying missiles in Taiwan). Premier of the Republic of China, Su Tseng-chang, responded to this today (18th), stating, “When the whole world is concerned about Taiwan, shouldn’t we express our determination and responsibility for sovereignty and security even more?”
During the PLA’s exercises around Taiwan on the 14th, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China recently stated that the military has detected a record high of 153 aircraft sorties (including 111 instances crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, disturbing the western, southwestern, and eastern airspace) in a single day.
The UK’s Financial Times cited unnamed Taiwan national security officials, saying, “Although they didn’t launch missiles towards Taiwan this time, there were missile exercise operations, including the launch of two missiles towards the inland direction.”
The Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China continued its questioning and review of Premier Su Tseng-chang’s governance report today. Prior to the meeting, Su Tseng-chang participated in a media joint interview.
Su Tseng-chang expressed that the government is very concerned about the PLA’s military exercises near Taiwan. The whole world is also concerned about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific. When the whole world is focusing on Taiwan, “shouldn’t we express our determination and responsibility for our sovereignty and security, to let the whole world see, that we must continue to strive, the ruling party and opposition must work together.”
The United States, European Union, Japan, United Kingdom, and Australia have expressed serious concerns over the PLA’s military exercises. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China expressed sincere gratitude for this. US Department of Defense spokesperson Matthew Miller harshly criticized the PLA’s military exercises on the 14th, calling it irresponsible and destabilizing.
Director of the National Security Bureau of the Republic of China, Chien Ming-yen, stated in a media interview at the Legislative Yuan on the 14th that the PLA’s military exercises will create side effects and negative effects, garnering more international support for Taiwan and allowing Taiwanese society to see more clearly the true nature of the CCP’s policy towards Taiwan.
The CCP has not given up the use of force against Taiwan, frequently sending aircraft and ships to harass Taiwan. The CCP conducted exercises around Taiwan on the 14th and announced the end of the “Joint Sword-2024B” exercise in the evening. The next day, CCP leader Xi Jinping visited Fujian, claiming to build a demonstration zone for cross-strait integration, to enhance national identity among the Taiwanese people, etc. Vice Chairman and spokesperson of the Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China, Liang Wen-jie, stated during a routine press conference on the 17th that they noticed Xi Jinping’s special visit to Fujian, “and we are observing his remarks.”
Today, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China published the dynamics of the PLA in the airspace around the Taiwan Strait. From 6 a.m. on the 17th to 6 a.m. today, the military detected 19 sorties of PLA aircraft (including 15 instances crossing the median line of the strait, entering the northern, central, and southwestern airspace), and 6 sorties of PLA vessels, continuing their activities around the Taiwan Strait. The military is closely monitoring and responding with aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems.