Legislature condemns China's military exercises around Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
04/11/2023 05:50 PM
Taipei, April 11 (CNA) Lawmakers across party lines on Tuesday condemned China for conducting military drills around Taiwan and urged Beijing to immediately stop its "intimidation."
The Legislature expressed its "strong condemnation" of China for conducting three days of military exercises around Taiwan from April 8-10, which included the simulation of precision strikes against the island, a joint statement signed by the leaders of all four parties' caucuses said.
The four parties are the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), the Taiwan People's Party and the New Power Party.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) also reported record-breaking sorties of 91 Chinese military jets and 12 naval vessels around the island from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.
According to the MND, 54 of the 91 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
The exercises, which were conducted in response to President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) meeting with United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week, have "undermined the cross-strait status quo" and "escalated tensions in the region," the statement said.
The statement, which was read by Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) on the legislative floor, urged Beijing to immediately stop its show of force and efforts to intimidate the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name.
The ROC is an independent sovereign country, the statement said, adding that Beijing is in no position to interfere when Taiwan's government and people engage in normal interactions with other countries.
The statement also called on the international community to voice concern over China's acts that pose a "severe threat to regional peace and security."
In a video released by the Presidential Office on Tuesday, Tsai said it was irresponsible of Beijing to use her visits to Taiwan's diplomatic allies and "transits" in the U.S. as an excuse to launch military drills, subsequently destabilizing the Taiwan Strait and the entire region.
The president thanked the ROC military and Coast Guard for safeguarding the country's airspace and territorial waters, while urging the people of Taiwan to stand united in preserving Taiwan's democracy.
Meanwhile, KMT Deputy Spokesperson Lu Ching-wei (呂謦煒) said in a press release the same day that the party does not welcome any acts that undermine cross-strait peace and regional stability.
The KMT fully backs the efforts of the ROC Armed Forces to defend the country and preserve freedom and democracy, Lu added.
(By Wang Yang-yu and Teng Pei-ju)
Enditem/AW
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