Taiwan will kick off a series of live-fire military drills next month in the area around its offshore islets, including Quemoy, a source of mounting friction between Taipei and Beijing following a series of recent marine incidents.
The Kinmen Defense Command under the Taiwanese army will stage artillery exercises to bolster combat readiness in seven areas around Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, throughout April, according to a notice by Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency.
Those include areas on Quemoy, a Taiwanese defense outpost just opposite the mainland city of Xiamen, and its tiny outlying islets of Houyu, Fuyun, Fuxing, Shiyu, Muyu and Lieyu.
The drills will take place over about 20 days between April 2 and April 30.
In the exercises, land-based weapons will be used to fire at the sea with maximum height trajectories ranging up to 6,600 feet (2,012 meters). All vessels and planes are prohibited from sailing in the vicinity of the drills, the notice said.
A military source said various guns and cannons, including M60A3 main battle tanks, 20mm cannons, 120mm mortars, and high-explosive 155mm and 105mm Howitzers, will be used during the exercises that will simulate defending against attacks from the People’s Liberation Army.
According to the source, the exercises around Quemoy were not related to an incident last month that resulted in the deaths of two fishermen from mainland China. “They are routine drills and do not target any specific entity,” the source said, adding that none of the designated exercise areas face the mainland coast.
Taiwan’s concerns grow over Quemoy waters as Beijing steps up patrols
Cross-strait tensions flared last month after the two sides traded blame over who should be blamed for the death of two mainland fishermen who died as they were pursued by the Taiwanese coastguard on February 14.
Taiwan insists it was merely enforcing the law by ordering the fishermen to stop for inspection after their unregistered and unlicensed speedboat entered waters off Quemoy.
Beijing – which regards Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control – accusing the Taiwanese coastguard of using “violent and dangerous methods” in their pursuit.
00:00
War scarred bunkers on Quemoy reflect the islands’ frontline role in Taiwan Strait tension
War scarred bunkers on Quemoy reflect the islands’ frontline role in Taiwan Strait tension
The mainland has carried out regular coastguard patrols around Quemoy since the February 14 incident, with six or seven ships operating daily around Quemoy and Matsu, another Taiwanese defense outpost close to Fuzhou.
Taiwan has sent patrol vessels to warn off the mainland ships when they have sailed into the waters off Quemoy and Matsu, raising concerns in Taipei that unintended incidents could break out.
Last month, mainland coastguard officers boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat to check the vessel’s license and captain’s certificate, further stoking cross-strait tensions.
Taiwan’s intelligence chief Tsai Ming-yen has said the increased patrols by the mainland coastguard in the area were part of Beijing’s gray-zone or non-military tactic to pressure Taiwan.
Mainland coastguards ‘no threat’ if they stay clear of Taiwan’s land forces
