The Chinese army began live ammunition firing exercises near Taiwan on Tuesday, October 22, maintaining its pressure on the island. Taiwanese authorities said they were closely monitoring these maneuvers, calling them a “threat” to regional stability. Beijing held large-scale drills in mid-October, with a record number of military planes and ships around Taiwan, while Chinese President Xi Jinping appealed to troops to prepare for war . On Monday, the Maritime Safety Administration in Pingtan, a town in Fujian province, announced live ammunition firing for four hours in an area of about 150 square kilometers. Pingtan is the closest place in mainland China to Taiwan, and the shooting zone is about 100 kilometers from the island. The Pingtan Maritime Safety Administration did not specify who was to carry out the shots or their objective. In response to these exercises, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that it was closely monitoring China’s “military activities and intentions”. Taipei said the exercises could be part of Beijing’s “tactics to step up its intimidation” across the Taiwan Strait. Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai described them as a “threat that undermines regional peace and stability.” Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers One military exercise after another, China is preparing for a potential invasion of Taiwan Add to your selections American and Canadian warships in the Taiwan Strait Over the weekend, a warship American and another Canadian crossed the 180 kilometer wide Taiwan Strait, as part of regular passages carried out by Washington and its allies to strengthen its status as an international waterway. Beijing condemned this passage, saying it disrupted “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”. The mid-October exercises, called “Joint Sword-2024B” with fighter planes, drones, warships and coast guards, took place in particular in areas located in the north, south and east of Taiwan. On Saturday, state media reported that Xi Jinping had called on troops this week to strengthen their war preparedness during a visit to the Army’s Missile Force. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers The Taiwanese president takes the risk of a firm speech against China Add to your selections Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content
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