Beijing steps up military pressure on Taiwan after the US and China announce talks

[Edge Guerrero]

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China sent more than 30 warplanes and a group of navy ships toward Taiwan, the island’s defense ministry said Saturday.

The military pressure comes on the heels of an announcement that senior American and Chinese representatives were expected to meet in the Thai capital as the two countries seek to cool tensions.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army sent 33 aircraft, including SU-30 fighters, and six navy vessels around Taiwan, between 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. Of these, 13 warplanes crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait — an unofficial boundary that’s considered a buffer between the island and mainland. Taiwan has monitored the situation and employed its own forces in response to the activities.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and in recent years has shown is displeasure at political activities in Taiwan by sending military planes and ships. Taiwan said six Chinese balloons either flew over the island or through airspace just north of it days after the self-governing island elected Lai Ching-te as the new president. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party largely campaigned on self-determination, social justice and a rejection of China’s threats.

United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi were both in Bangkok for talks, though it wasn’t clear when the meeting would take place or if it already had.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of a summit in November in an effort to patch up frayed relations due to quarrels over a range of economic and geopolitical issues. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the planned meeting in Bangkok continues the commitment Biden and Xi made “to maintain strategic communication and responsibly manage the relationship.”

During talks, Foreign Minister Wang would make clear China’s position on Taiwan and on U.S.-China relations, and discuss international and regional concerns, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday.

An immediate international concern to both countries is tensions in the Red Sea that have upended global trade by forcing many shippers to avoid the Suez Canal. Beijing said it has been making positive efforts to de-escalate the situation in which Iran-backed Houthi rebels have fired missiles at international ships.

https://apnews.com/article/china-taiwan-warplanes-us-sullivan-thailand-72d2b8046d44156b5e06ccc3fb2d0871

[theraskal]

doesn't Vietnam have McDonald'$ and StarBUCK$ now days? The West should stay out of Family Feuds and just let time take care of the social evolution, eventually they'll sort it out and the people will have what they want, no need to FORCE it on them, no need for Western peasants Lives Lost, Memorials Built, and complaints of how it was all such an unnecessary waste

[Edge Guerrero]

Taiwan holds military drills to defend against the threat of a Chinese invasion



BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
Updated 8:09 AM BRT, January 31, 2024

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Almost every day, Chinese warships sail in waters around Taiwan and warplanes fly toward the island before turning back. What if they suddenly attacked?

Taiwan’s military conducted a two-day exercise at sea, on land and in the air this week to practice defending against such a surprise attack. As journalists looked on from fast escort boats, a mine layer released at least a half dozen dummy mines from a chute in its stern.

Maj. Gen. Sun Li-fang, the chief defense ministry spokesperson, told reporters at Zuoying Naval Base in southern Taiwan that China’s recent actions threaten to spark a conflict that could have devastating effects on the entire region, where billions of dollars in trade pass the 160 kilometer- (100 mile)-wide waterway separating Taiwan from China.

“Any unilateral irrational action could very easily escalate tensions and sabotage stability in the Taiwan Strait region,” Sun said. “So the Chinese Communists should immediately cease these sorts of undermining actions.”

China claims the self-governing island of 23 million people as its own territory and says it must come under Beijing’s control. The long-running divide is a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. As relations between the rivals have deteriorated in recent years, fears have grown that America could get pulled into a war if hostilities break out.

Later in the day, journalists witnessed a simulated attack by China at a military base in the eastern county of Taitung.

Troops in red helmets representing the People’s Liberation Army parachuted in, while Taiwanese army drones buzzed overhead. Taiwanese troops soon rolled onto the training course, fighting back with M60 Patton tanks, a model first introduced to the U.S. Army in 1959 but significantly upgraded by Taiwan. Taiwan is gradually replacing some of them with M1 Abrams tanks and the HIMARS rocket system, which the U.S. has also supplied to Ukraine.

Taiwan’s defense ministry, in a daily report, said that seven Chinese warplanes and four naval vessels were detected around the island in the 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. It also reported a Chinese balloon off its northern coast.

A Chinese government spokesperson criticized Taiwan’s government for “creating political hype” about recent balloon sightings. Chen Binhua from the Taiwan Affairs Office said that balloons are common around the world, usually belong to private companies and are mostly used for civilian purposes such as weather monitoring.

“They have been around for a long time and are nothing new,” he said Wednesday according to a transcript of a regular briefing in Beijing.

The annual exercise comes less than three weeks after voters elected Lai Ching-te as their next president, giving a third straight four-year term to the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, which is opposed by China.

The drills are aimed in part at boosting public confidence in the island’s ability to defend itself, particularly during next month’s Lunar New Year holiday.

“I wish to assure all our people that our forces remain at their posts during the Lunar New Year to guard the nation to allow the people of Taiwan to rest assured that they will have a peaceful holiday,” Maj. Gen. Tan Yung, the head of the Taitung Defense Command, told reporters. Along with live firing exercises, such simulations are an important facet of training, Tan said.

Taiwan also uses such drills, and the press tours that often accompany them, to burnish the image of the armed forces, which has difficulty recruiting and relies heavily on conscripts.

Capt. Huang Chin-ya, one of several dozen soldiers who took part in the drill, seemed to touch on both issues in her remarks.

The drills are aimed in part at boosting public confidence in the island’s ability to defend itself, particularly during next month’s Lunar New Year holiday.

“I wish to assure all our people that our forces remain at their posts during the Lunar New Year to guard the nation to allow the people of Taiwan to rest assured that they will have a peaceful holiday,” Maj. Gen. Tan Yung, the head of the Taitung Defense Command, told reporters. Along with live firing exercises, such simulations are an important facet of training, Tan said.

Taiwan also uses such drills, and the press tours that often accompany them, to burnish the image of the armed forces, which has difficulty recruiting and relies heavily on conscripts.

Capt. Huang Chin-ya, one of several dozen soldiers who took part in the drill, seemed to touch on both issues in her remarks.

https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-drills-china-f0619b21f516a4e92be6588c4e954bf4

[theraskal]

CHINA/USA are like a Dysfunctional Married Couple which have grown to DEPEND on and NEED each-other

if there is a WAR you can be sure there's a MONEY TRAIL to the ELITES who will of course NOT SEND their Royal Trustfunders to fight in those WARS who will instead be enjoying the Ivy League Experience or on Holiday in some exotic destination which is far removed from the fighting

[theraskal]

....probably like a Dysfunctional GAY marriage where each partner is trying to be a POWER TOP