CHINA ENCIRCLES TAIWAN

CHINA ENCIRCLES TAIWAN

Shared By Peter Boykin – American Political Commentator / Citizen Journalist

CHINA ENCIRCLES TAIWAN

China concluded three days of military drills, rehearsing how it would encircle and bombard Taiwan, which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) considers part of its sovereign territory – declaring it was “ready to fight” and “smash” Taiwanese independence.

Brief history: The territorial dispute between China and Taiwan began in 1949 when the CCP took control of the mainland, and the Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan, setting up a separate government there, with both sides claiming to be the legitimate government of China and asserting sovereignty over the other.

What prompted China’s three-day military drills?

The drills began hours after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, which China vocally objected to. Beijing described the drills as a “strong warning” to Taiwan.

Details of the drills: The CCP dubbed the training “United Sharp Sword.” It took place over three days. By Monday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported there were 12 warships and 91 warplanes near the island, including nuclear-capable aircraft. Chinese bombers and jet fighters simulated strikes on key Taiwanese targets, intended to practice establishing a blockade of the island.

Keeping Taiwan independent is crucially important to the U.S. for two keys reasons:

An independent Taiwan is a counterweight to China’s dominance in the Western Pacific.
Taiwan produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors, which are the brains of modern electronics, used to power everything from your cell phone to your refrigerator.

[Source: Daily Mail, WSJ]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11956877/China-declares-ready-smash-form-Taiwan-independence.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-concludes-military-exercises-encircling-taiwan-e4cd859a

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