The military is closely watching a Chinese drill in the Taiwan Strait that began yesterday morning, ahead of a scheduled meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
Beijing said the drill is a “joint cruise and patrol special operation” led by a patrol vessel.
The Ministry of National Defense said Taiwanese forces are monitoring Chinese activity in the Strait through joint intelligence and surveillance, adding that no irregularities had been detected.
Photo courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
The exercises are led by the Haixun 06 (海巡06), the first large Chinese vessel designated to patrol the Strait, joined by an undetermined number of maritime police vessels, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
The report did not specify the exact location of the drill and when it would end, saying only that it was being held in the northern and central parts of the Strait.
NAUTICAL CHART
Photo courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
However, a nautical chart attached to the report suggests that the drill might not be limited to the Strait.
The chart highlights two areas east and southeast of eastern Taiwan, without identifying what they represent.
Chinese-language media reported that the two areas are among those that were targeted by missiles during exercises that Beijing launched following then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August last year.
Separately, the ministry reported that 14 Chinese military jets and three warships had been detected around Taiwan from 6pm on Tuesday to 6am yesterday.
Two of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, the ministry said.
One of them was a Harbin BZK-005, a high-altitude, long-range uncrewed aerial vehicle used for reconnaissance purposes and the other was a Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, it said.
However, no Chinese military aircraft took the more provocative step of crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said, adding that the number and routes of flights were similar to Chinese air force movements in the past few weeks.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old
SEA SEARCH: Nine crew members of a cargo ship had taken to the water after the vessel sunk off the southern coast, with a rescue effort under way, officials said The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years yesterday killed three people and flooded parts of the nation’s second-biggest city, while rescuers were searching for nine sailors after their cargo ship sank in the storm. Typhoon Gaemi transformed streets in Kaohsiung into rivers, with some households flooded. Offices and schools were closed for the second consecutive day, with thousands of people evacuated. Three people died and 380 were injured due to strong winds and torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi, the Central Emergency Response Center said. The typhoon made landfall in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) at midnight yesterday and departed Taiwan