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A military exercise as a signal to the world

China sends Chinese military aircraft to Taiwan almost every day. According to Taiwanese information, there were more people than ever before during a major maneuver.

Benjamin Eyssel

Fighter jets taking off, ships patrolling and soldiers marching on Chinese state television. Navy and Chinese coast guard boats were sailing around Taiwan for 13 hours, and an aircraft carrier was also used in the maneuver, according to the communist state and party leadership.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry counted 153 military aircraft near the island – more than ever in a day.

Beijing sees “enemies” in Taiwan

A Chinese fighter jet pilot told state television CCTV in a commanding tone that the exercise was aimed at breaking through the “enemy's” alarm system and establishing regional air sovereignty.

From the perspective of the leadership in Beijing, the enemies are forces surrounding Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, who is viewed as a separatist. China's leadership claims the democratically governed island as its own part of the country, although Taiwan was never part of the People's Republic. And it regularly threatens war if a peaceful unification does not occur.

Taiwan insists Independence

The military exercise took place a few days after Taiwan's National Day celebrations. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te once again emphasized the island's independence: “The freedom of our people has become greater and stronger. The People's Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan.”

Even though hardly any country recognizes Taiwan as an independent state due to pressure from China, there is support and sympathy for the island from many democratically governed countries.

A signal from China to the USA

Among other things, the US government supplies weapons to Taiwan so that the island can defend itself – to the great annoyance of the communist leadership in Beijing. The maneuver is therefore probably also a signal to the USA, said Lin Ying-yu from the Institute of International and Strategic Studies in Taiwan in an interview with ARD in China.

“In less than a month there will be elections in the USA. And what China wants to show now is: I don't care who comes into the presidency. I will take military action against independence movements in Taiwan in my own way and in my time.”

Worry about one unintentional escalation

Most international observers do not expect China's military to invade Taiwan in the next few years. However, there is growing concern that an accident will occur during a military exercise like yesterday and the situation will then escalate.

Federal Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said in Berlin that China's military measures increased the risk of unintentional military clashes and, in this sense, also tensions.

“We expect the People's Republic of China, as a responsible international actor, to contribute to stability and peace in the region with its behavior and to unconditionally respect the right of freedom of navigation and aviation guaranteed under international law,” said Fischer.

Germany in the Taiwan Strait

Recently, warships from several countries sailed through the strait between the People's Republic and Taiwan: the Bundeswehr's navy also sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Germany and its allies want to show their presence in the region.

It is also about rejecting China's claims. In addition to the island of Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait, which is international waters according to international maritime law, China's leadership claims almost the entire South China Sea for itself.

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