The Chinese Navy carried out military exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan. According to the experts interviewed by Revyuh, the military exercises carried out are aimed at protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China in response to the tension caused by the United States at the maritime borders.
The military exercises were carried out in two stages near the Zhoushan archipelago, some 550 kilometers north of Taiwan, and these coincided with high-ranking U.S. Navy exercises, the US Seventh Fleet and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. During the days that the maneuvers were carried out, China increased the intensity of its Air Force military exercises in the Taiwan Strait.
According to the military analyst, these military exercises are not a threat to Taiwan, but rather the reaction of mainland China to the tension caused by the US on its maritime borders.
“China has as a strategic objective to unite the [Chinese] nation divided by the Taiwan Strait. While the US naturally understands that the withdrawal of Taiwan from its influence will mean a great strategic defeat in the region, which now dominates the world in all indicators of economic growth,” experts explained.
In this regard, the United States declared that they were carrying out an advanced maritime operation in support of their national interests in the region. For its part, the People’s Liberation Army declared a state of high alert to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of China.
The expert of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) Shen Shisun believes that in the event of an external provocation, China can calmly opt for force if it considers it necessary.
“China is convinced that as long as there is hope, everything possible should be done for the peaceful reunification of the motherland. However, when external forces intervene or Taiwan crosses the ‘red line’ against the will of the population and independence activities continue, we will not rule out the possibility of military reunification,” he said.
According to the expert, in any case, the current attempts by external forces to prevent the reunification of China are increasingly evident and any attempt to separate Taiwan from China will be opposed by all the people.
“Protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity is a sacred duty of the Chinese Army, which will undoubtedly take the first blow if necessary. Under these circumstances, it needs to carry out various exercises to maintain full operational readiness,” Shisun concluded.
Analysts also noted that another objective of China’s military manoeuvres in the East and the South China Sea is the development of joint operations involving land, naval and air forces.