ISTANBUL

Taiwan on Monday “strongly condemned” the joint-military drills by China around the island nation, calling them “irrational” and “provocative.”

The Defense Ministry said it “will deploy appropriate forces to respond and defend our national sovereignty” against the Joint Sword-2024B exercises by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

A statement by the ministry in Taipei said it also detected 25 PLA aircraft, seven PLA naval vessels and four official ships operating around Taiwan until early this morning.

“16 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” said the ministry, referring to air defense identification zone which China does not recognize.

The PLA had announced the launch of large-scale drills around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its breakaway province, second such exercises since May when President William Lai Ching-te was inaugurated.

According to the Chinese military, the exercises around areas to the north, south and east of the island nation focused on improving sea-air combat readiness, blocking key ports, targeting land and sea objectives, and gaining comprehensive battlefield control.

The drills, conducted by troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force, served as a “strong deterrent to activities related to Taiwan independence" and was necessary to protect Beijing's "national sovereignty and national unity,” said the PLA Eastern Command.

It follows a national day speech by Lai, who said last week that Beijing had "no right" to represent his country as Taipei was not "subordinate" to China.

China had launched similar drills around Taiwan in August 2022 after the then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid an unannounced trip to the island nation, first by any sitting Congress speaker in 25 years.

Lai also chaired a high-level national security meeting on Monday, in response to the PLA's drills.

Ban on Taiwanese businessman, lawmaker

Meanwhile, Beijing on Monday imposed a ban on Taiwanese ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Shen Pao-yang (Puma Shen), and Tsao Hsing-cheng, also known as Robert Tsao, as well as Kuma Academy.

China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office called the duo as “secessionist figures” while Beijing said the academy “promoted separatist ideas and serves as a base for Taiwan separatists.”

Tsao is a businessman and founder of the United Microelectronics Corp.

The duo has been barred from entering the mainland, Hong Kong as well as Macao while cooperation between the academy and its affiliated institutions with organizations and individuals in the mainland has been restricted.

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