File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping. , Photo courtesy: Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to the province facing Taiwan after military exercises that mobilized China’s navy, air force, missile forces and land troops to simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island democracy. Which Beijing claims and threatens as its territory. Forced contract.
Mr Xi did not comment on military exercises during his visit to Fujian province, but his visit came after China sent a record 125 aircraft as well as its Liaoning aircraft carrier and ships, according to the official Xinhua news agency. On Monday, large-scale military exercises will be conducted around Taiwan and its outlying islands.
Mr Xi has largely avoided public appearances and foreign travel over the past year, but bringing Taiwan under Beijing’s control remains a priority for his administration as he heads the ruling Communist Party and its military, the People’s Liberation Army.
Taiwan’s newly elected President Lai Ching-te has been sharply criticized by Beijing for rejecting its stance of recognizing Taiwan as part of China.
The exercise came four days after Taiwan celebrated the establishment of its government on its National Day, when Taiwanese President Lai Ching-tey said in a speech that China had no right to represent Taiwan and called for “interference.” Or declared its commitment to “resist encroachment”.
Taiwan was a Japanese colony before being unified with China at the end of World War II. It fell apart in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to the island as Mao Zedong’s Communists defeated them in a civil war and seized power.
published – October 17, 2024 05:05 am IST