The excerpt below is from an article written by Ross Ibbetson for Mailonline and AFP for the Daily Mail, which originally appeared on May 23, 2019. The original article in its entirety can be read here.
- Taiwan deployed 22 naval ships and 22 fighter jets in its largest military drill in five years on Wednesday
- It simulated a Chinese sea and air invasion at the port towns of Suao and Hualien on the eastern coast
- China refuses to recognise Taiwan’s sovereignty, claiming all of the South China Sea, including the island
- Two U.S. warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on the same day in a show of solidarity with the nation
An anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) is fired from a Knox-class frigate during a military drill at sea near eastern Hualien – the Chinese submarine threat is considered one of their most potent, with devastating ballistics capabilities
Taiwan’s military has staged its largest drill in five years, featuring warships and jets, to simulate a Chinese invasion on the east of the island amid increasing tensions with Beijing.
Some 22 naval ships fired their cannons, missiles and depth charges, while 22 fighter jets thundered through the skies letting off missiles and heavy machine guns on Wednesday.
Anti-submarine tactics were employed in the waters close to Suao and Hualien. Chinese submarines are considered one of Beijing’s most potent threats, armed with a vast array of ballistic missiles.
Also on Wednesday, two US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait in an apparent show of solidarity with the nation whose sovereignty China will not recognise and infuriating Beijing who refuse to accept the passage as international waters.
Read the original article in its entirety here.
