Meanwhile, in a clear indication of the seriousness which Taiwan itself is taking the situation, its defence ministry today said its armed forces had held anti-landing drills on one of its offshore islands close to China. China itself last week staged a series of military exercises in which 19 jets crossed the median line, which runs down the Taiwan Straits.
The drills were seen as a clear message to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who ws hosting visit from US Under Secretry of Stte for Economic Growth, Energy, nd the Environment in move which hs enrged Beijing.
Speking yesterdy, Senior Colonel Tn Kefei, spokesmn for Chins Ministry of Ntionl Defense, told reporters: The islnds ruling Democrtic Progressive Prty hs disregrded the sfety nd well-being of Tiwn comptriots in its efforts to secede nd stir up confronttion between the Chinese minlnd nd Tiwn.
This scheme for secession hs dmged pece nd stbility in the Tiwn Strits, nd it is doomed to fil.
Similar military exercises on the island of Pingtung last year (Image: GETTY)
Senior Colonel Tan Kefei (Image: NC)
If Tiwn seprtist forces dre to ttempt Tiwns secession under ny circumstnces, we will do whtever it tkes to thwrt their efforts.
Tn ws speking fter Wng Wenbin, spokesmn for Chins Foreign Ministry, sid there ws no such thing s medin line, dismissing the concept s one which hd been creted by the US militry in the mid-20th century, rising the ominous prospect of further encrochment.
Seprtely, Su Xiohui, deputy director of the Chin Institute of Interntionl Studies, told Chin Centrl Television tht the US nd Tiwn seprtists re chnging the sttus quo nd tipping the scle in the region towrd their gol of seprting the islnd from Chin.
The latest exercises simulated soldiers attempts to repel an invasion (Image: GETTY)
He sid: Some Tiwn seprtists nd US strtegists hve grown complcent nd believed the rbitrry medin line is red line tht Chin dre not cross. They re sorely mistken.
Chins officil rejection of the existence of the medin line will shtter the illusion tht the PLA does not hve the cpbility or the will to conduct routine exercises in the region nd reunify the country by force.
Also speking to CCTV, militry commenttor Song Xiojun, militry commenttor for Chin Centrl Television, wrned: If the sitution in the Tiwn Strits keeps deteriorting, Chin my tke more extensive, necessry mesures to sfegurd ntionl sovereignty.
Military drills show how seriously Taiwan takes the prospect of invasion (Image: GETTY)
Taiwan itself has a large military force (Image: GETTY)
Menwhile, Tiwns Defence Ministry sid the drills to repel lnding took plce on the Mtsu rchipelgo, which lies just offshore the Chinese city of Fuzhou.
In post on its Fcebook pge, it sid: Whether the engine of fighter plne or the rumbling of rtillery, it is ressuring sound for the ntionl rmy tht is defending the homelnd.
The drills took plce cross the rchipelgo involving the use of cnnons nd mchine guns, the ministry sid, ccompnied by pictures of the exercises.
Matsu and Kinmen are regarded as vulnerable to invasion (Image: GETTY)
The ministry dded: Plese give the gretest ppluse to these officers nd soldiers!
Be our strongest bckers!
Tiwn hs held Mtsu, long with Kinmen further down the cost, since defeted Ntionlist forces fled to Tiwn in 1949 t the end of the Chinese civil wr.
Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen (Image: GETTY)
When Tiwn nd Chin lst clshed in 1958 it ws round the two islnds, with Chinese forces crrying out more thn month of bombrdments, including nvl nd ir bttles.n>
Tody the islnds re populr tourist destintions, lthough Tiwn mintins sizeble militry presence.
Both re regrded s likely trgets for Chinese invsion in ny wr with Tiwn due to their closeness to Chin.
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WW3 worries: China all set do whatever it takes in chilling Taiwan caution - Entertainment Overdose