Taiwan prepares for China's military drills, satellite launched on national day

As Taiwan approaches its national day on October 10, Premier Cho Jung-tai has declared that the government is “prepared” for anticipated China’s military drills and a satellite launched.

This development comes as security officials predict that Beijing will stage military exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan, coinciding with President Lai Ching-te’s keynote address, where he is expected to reaffirm Taiwan’s sovereignty and the rights of its people to self-determination.

In a statement, Taiwan’s defense ministry noted that China has been utilizing various pretexts to “legitimize its targeted military drills.” The ministry emphasized its commitment to closely monitoring and analyzing the training activities of the Chinese military around the Taiwan Strait to anticipate potential developments.

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and routinely conducts military exercises around the island in response to what it perceives as separatist actions by Taiwanese leaders. In fact, just days after Lai’s inauguration on May 20, 2024, China carried out a two-day military exercise, dubbed Joint Sword-2024A, in the air and waters surrounding Taiwan. The upcoming exercise is expected to be named Joint Sword-2024B, according to Taiwanese officials.

While vowing to bolster Taiwan’s defenses ahead of the national day, Premier Cho expressed hope that China would conduct its drills in areas under its jurisdiction and urged restraint to avoid actions that could “disrupt regional security and security in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Also Read:NY, NJ lead multistate lawsuits against TikTok over youth mental health concerns

In preparation for the satellite launch expected on Thursday, Cho instructed the military to gather intelligence on the event and monitor it closely to ensure public safety. The U.S. State Department has refrained from commenting on the potential Chinese military drills but stated that using annual celebrations or public remarks as a pretext for provocative measures undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan’s defense ministry has indicated that China plans to launch its satellite launch vehicle (SLV) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on Thursday. They anticipate that the SLV will travel eastward towards the Western Pacific, passing through Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)—a designated area where foreign aircraft are tracked before entering national airspace.

Chinese military incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ are frequent and are part of a strategy known as gray-zone tactics, which aim to exert pressure on Taipei without crossing the threshold of outright conflict. Such actions are generally not considered acts of war but are seen as detrimental to Taiwan’s security.

As tensions rise ahead of this significant day, Taiwan remains vigilant, prepared to defend its sovereignty amid increasing assertiveness from its neighbor.