Surge in Chinese Military Activity Around Taiwan

TaiwanPlus News

Beijing has carried out two straight days of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. Taiwan's defense ministry has accused China of building up its military while creating an illusion of openness to dialogue.

Transcript

00:00An unwelcome vessel enters Taiwanese waters off Jinmen Islands, one of four Chinese coast

00:07guard ships spotted in just one day.

00:09After a couple of hours, the Chinese vessels complied, but the government in Beijing maintains

00:26that these waters, and the rest of Taiwan, are part of its sovereign territory.

00:32And they've been making intrusions like this one more frequently.

00:37Thirty-two Chinese military planes entered Taiwan's air identification zone in 24 hours.

00:43This, just days after Beijing launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that passed

00:48south of Taiwan.

00:50The defence ministry here condemning what it calls China's expansionist ambitions.

00:54The self-ruled island nation's leaders say that the increasing frequency of their neighbours'

01:20incursions threatens not just Taiwan, but also regional stability.

01:25But China is not backing down.

01:41Taiwan's defence minister warns that exercises like these could be cover for a surprise attack.

01:47And that it is becoming harder to tell what is behind the rise in Chinese military activity.

02:08It's less than a week before China's national day.

02:11In a time it flexes its military might and reiterates its goal of bringing Taiwan under

02:17its control.

02:19An outcome Taiwanese leaders say they're determined to thwart, ready to stand in defence of Taiwan's

02:25sovereignty and its people.

02:28James Lin and Rick Loutt for Taiwan Plus.

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