Taiwan to hold live-fire drill in Spratly Islands likely to anger Vietnam
- November exercise will ‘safeguard integrity of Taiwan’s territory and strengthen its defence capability’
Taiwan will stage a three-day live-fire drill next month on Taiping Island in the disputed waters of the South China Sea to underscore its claimed sovereignty over the Spratly Islands – a move certain to again enrage rival claimant Vietnam.
The drill, expected to be held between 8am and 9pm from November 21 to 23, is expected to hearten Beijing, which has long voiced its claims over the Spratlys, despite disputes with other claimants and intervention by the United States.
Beijing is usually angered by Taiwan holding war games to show its defensive strength in the face of persistent military threats from the mainland. Taiwan is considered by Beijing to be a wayward province to be unified with the mainland by force if necessary.
However, next month’s drill is over the South China Sea, where both Taipei and Beijing have maritime claims opposing Vietnam over the Spratly Islands.
“Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the Spratlys is consistent with that of Taipei’s, and any live-fire drills on Taiping only serve to reinforce the mainland’s sovereignty over the region, given that Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China,” said Wang Kung-yi, a professor of political science at Chinese Culture University in Taipei.
The drill will involve firing into the sea and air in the area around Taiping Island – known internationally as Itu Aba – using 40mm grenade machine guns and other weapons, officials of Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said on Tuesday.
