Taiwan live-fire military drills go ahead in face of growing pressure from Beijing
- Exercise follows warning against foreign forces coming to Taiwan’s assistance
Taiwan held live-fire exercises along its east coast on Thursday – the first since Chinese President Xi Jinping reasserted Beijing’s willingness to use military force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.
Artillery and assault helicopters fired at targets off the west coast city of Taichung, while French-made Mirage fighter jets took off amid rainy conditions from the airbase at Hsinchu to the north.
The drills also follow a new Pentagon report laying out US concerns about Beijing’s growing military might, underscoring worries about a possible attack against Taiwan.
Taiwan’s independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen has made national defence a priority while refusing Beijing’s demand that she recognise Taiwan as a part of China. That has led to Beijing ratcheting up economic, military and diplomatic pressure on the island of 23 million people.
Taiwan launches into combat training with plans for live-fire drill to fend off mainland China attack
In a meeting with US chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson in Beijing on Tuesday, China’s chief of staff Li Zuocheng issued a warning against foreign forces coming to Taiwan’s help.
