Fears of Beijing outbidding are confirmed. The Chinese military launched three days of military exercises in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, April 8. These tensions with the island stem from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting in the United States with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.

The maneuvers "serve as a serious warning against collusion between separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external forces, as well as their provocative activities," Chinese military spokesman Shi Yi said in a statement. The training also includes "patrols," according to the Chinese military.

Their exact location is not specified. Apart from Monday's live-fire drills, which will be held in the Taiwan Strait near the coast of Fujian, the province facing the island, local maritime authorities said.

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These exercises, which have an "operational" dimension, are intended to demonstrate that the Chinese army will be ready, "if provocations intensify", to "settle once and for all the question of Taiwan", warned military analyst Song Zhongping.

Since Thursday, China has been stepping up military pressure on Taiwan with sending warships and aircraft to the strait. For several days, China has also reinforced the presence of its coast guard in the Strait for exceptional patrols.

Taiwan denounces China's 'authoritarian expansionism'

For its part, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said at midday Saturday that it had detected eight warships and 42 Chinese fighter jets around the island. Twenty-nine planes have crossed the centre line separating China from Taiwan, the source said.

The Chinese maneuvers follow Tsai's visit this week to the United States, where she met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday. Beijing had promised "firm and forceful measures" in retaliation.

Taipei said the maneuvers threaten "stability and security" in the Asia-Pacific region. Its president, Tsai Ing-wen, denounced Saturday an "authoritarian expansionism" on the part of China and assured that the territory "will continue to work with the United States and other countries (...) to defend the values of freedom and democracy."

These military exercises come the day after a state visit to China by Emmanuel Macron, during which the issue of Taiwan was raised with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "The conversation was dense and frank" on this subject, said Friday the Elysee.

With AFP

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