Starting Thursday, China launched two days of military drills surrounding Taiwan in what it called a “strong punishment” to the self-governing island, after Taiwan’s new president pledged to defend its sovereignty as he took office. The drills were the first substantive response by China to the swearing in of President Lai Ching-te, whose party asserts Taiwan’s separate status from China. During his inaugural speech on Monday, he vowed to keep Taiwan’s democracy safe from Chinese pressure. China mainly responded with sharp worded criticisms, but escalated its response by announcing that it was conducting sea and air exercises that would encircle Taiwan and draw close to the Taiwanese islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin in the Taiwan Strait.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/asia/china-taiwan-drills.html
