According to official figures, China is planning military maneuvers off Taiwan this week. The Maritime Safety Authority declared Chinese coastal waters, which stretch from Shanghai to Hong Kong, as a restricted military area. The Beijing leadership claims the island offshore to the mainland and has recently reaffirmed its military commitment to resist independence.
The Ministry of Defense in Taipei said it is watching closely the development in the Taiwan Strait. The own army is ready and able to defend the state security. Taiwan itself had launched a military maneuver in May.
Already in April, tensions had increased as the Chinese military raided warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around the island. In March, the US sent Navy and Coast Guard vessels across the strategically important strait between China and Taiwan, angering the Beijing leadership.
