Hsinchu (Taiwan): Taiwan held live-fire exercises along its east coast on Thursday amid renewed threats from China to bring the island under its control by force if deemed necessary. Artillery and assault helicopters fired at targets off the west coast city of Taichung, while French-made Mirage fighter jets took off amid rainy conditions from the air base at Hsinchu to the north. Hsinchu (Taiwan): Taiwan held live-fire exercises along its east coast on Thursday amid renewed threats from China to bring the island under its control by force if deemed necessary. Artillery and assault helicopters fired at targets off the west coast city of Taichung, while French-made Mirage fighter jets took off amid rainy conditions from the air base at Hsinchu to the north. The drills are Taiwan’s first since Chinese President Xi Jinping on January 2 reasserted Beijing’s willingness to use military force to bring self-ruling Taiwan under Chinese control. The drills also follow a new Pentagon report laying out US concerns about China’s growing military might, underscoring worries about a possible attack against Taiwan. Taiwan’s independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen has made national defense a priority while refusing China’s demand that she recognise Taiwan as a part of China. That’s led to Beijing ratcheting up economic, military and diplomatic pressure on the island of 23 million. In a meeting with US Chief of Naval Operations Adm John Richardson in Beijing on Tuesday, China’s Chief of Staff Li Zuocheng issued a warning against foreign forces coming to Taiwan’s assistance. The US is Taiwan’s chief source of military hardware and is legally bound to respond to threats against its security. China’s military will “pay any price” to ensure China’s sovereignty, Li told Richardson at their Tuesday meeting.China considers Taiwan, which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949, as an integral part of Chinese territory. (AP)
