China would have expanded its military maneuvers in Taiwan: it seeks to “draw a red line” for the US

Last Wednesday, China expanded its military maneuvers around Taiwan with dozens of warplanes and a huge maritime exercise with which, according to Taipei authorities, seeks to “draw a red line” for the next American president.

The largest Chinese maritime maneuvers in years include some 60 warships and 30 coast guard vessels deployed from near Japan’s southern islands to the South China Sea, a senior Taiwanese security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

China also expanded military air activity near the island, with 100 flights detected in the last two daysaccording to the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense.

Neither the Chinese government nor its army have commented on this increase in military activity in either the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea or the Western Pacific.

In Taipei they were on alert for a possible retaliation from China to the recent tour of the Pacific by the Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te, which included stops in the US territories of Hawaii and Guam.

The Taipei Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that this military activity around the island demonstrated China’s “troublemaker” character.

China’s diplomatic spokesperson, Mao Ning, replied that “the damage to peace and the stability of the Taiwan Strait is the job of Taiwanese separatist forces, with the support of external actors”.

The security official said last Wednesday that Chinese plans for a massive maritime operation began in October aimed at demonstrating that Beijing can isolate Taiwan. and to “draw a red line” before the start of the next US administration, of President-elect Donald Trump.

“China uses President Lai’s trip abroad as a pretext,” the official said.

“The real objective seems to be to establish control in the first island chain and establish strategic deterrence before the change of command in the United States,” he added.

The so-called first island chain includes Okinawa (Japan), Taiwan and the Philippines.

In their maneuvers, the Chinese ships simulated attacks on foreign ships and sea ​​route blockades in the waters around Taiwan.

Taiwan is considered a sovereign nation, but China calls it part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to one day retake it.