The minister, Joseph Wu, spoke to the media on Tuesday morning as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continued military exercises it began last week and Taiwan began its own live-fire drills. Wu accused China of “flagrant violations of international law”. “China used the drills in its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan,” he said. “It is conducting large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyber attacks, disinformation and financial coercion, in an attempt to weaken public morale in Taiwan.” He said PLA activities would take much longer to prepare than the timeline that would be an immediate response to Pelosi’s visit. Wu said China’s tactics, including the launch of ballistic missiles, “clearly seek to deter other countries from interfering with its attempt to invade Taiwan,” and also indicated that it had much broader geostrategic intentions. “China’s real intention is to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the entire region.” Beijing has claimed ownership of the Taiwan Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and aims to affect the international community’s freedom of travel by controlling the stretch of water and connecting the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea, he said. Why are there fears that China and Taiwan could go to war? – video Last week the PLA conducted more than 100 sea and air crossings of the median line, an unofficial border between China and Taiwan that until recently was largely respected by both sides. On Tuesday Wu said China has taken “concrete steps to break the long-standing tacit agreement on the median line” and will likely now try to “regulate its actions”. “Her intentions are not likely to end there,” he said, noting the security agreement with the Solomon Islands and China’s influence in the Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. Taiwanese soldiers fire artillery during a live-fire exercise in Pingtung Photo: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA Last week government websites, convenience stores and train station signs were targeted by cyberattacks. Wu said the various attacks were traced to China and Russia over several days. Overseas cyber attacks continued and Taiwanese authorities remained on “high alert,” Wu said, but Taiwan would not be deterred. “China’s continued attempt to bully Taiwan will not panic us, nor will it defeat us. The values of freedom and democracy cannot be taken away.” Taiwan began its own live-fire military drills on Tuesday in Pingtung County in the south of the main island. The exercises are designed to simulate defensive operations against an attack on the island. A spokesman for Taiwan’s military told AFP the drills had been planned in advance. Taiwan holds annual military exercises, traditionally at this time of year. In the week before Pelosi’s visit, major cities held air raid drills for all citizens and held large-scale military exercises on land and sea. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Chinese navy vessels continued to conduct missions off Taiwan’s east coast. Crossings of the median line by PLA warplanes also continued overnight. The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command said Monday it will continue its exercises, focusing on anti-submarine and maritime attack operations. Unlike last week, no “notices to airmen” (Notams) have been issued for the new drills, which would have warned sea and air traffic where to avoid. At a press conference on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not say whether information on civilian shipping and air traffic would be released. “China’s regular military exercises are open, transparent and professional,” Wang said. “The relevant authorities have issued timely notices. They are consistent with domestic and international laws, as well as established international practices. This serves as a warning message to provocateurs and is also a legitimate move to ensure our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
