Taiwan’s defence ministry is monitoring missile tests in China’s Inner Mongolia, with air defence forces on alert. This comes amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China.
Taiwan, Bollywood Fever: Taiwan’s defence ministry announced on Saturday that it is closely monitoring “waves” of missile tests conducted by China’s Rocket Force in the far northern region of Inner Mongolia. This heightened alert status is part of Taiwan’s ongoing vigilance regarding Chinese military activities, especially given Beijing’s regular military maneuvers around the island.
From 4 a.m. local time (2000 GMT on Friday), Taiwan detected “multiple waves of test launches” by the Rocket Force, according to the ministry. Inner Mongolia, located approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Taiwan, is the site of these tests. Although the defence ministry did not provide specific details about the missile tests, it confirmed that Taiwan’s forces are continuously monitoring the developments and that its air defence units are on high alert.
Efforts to reach China’s defence ministry for comments outside of regular office hours were unsuccessful. The Rocket Force, responsible for China’s conventional and nuclear missile arsenal, has not publicly addressed the tests.
In a similar display of military power in August 2022, China fired missiles into the waters surrounding Taiwan as part of war games, expressing its discontent over a visit to Taipei by then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan, a democratically governed island which China claims as its territory, maintains advanced radar stations on the peaks of its central mountain range. These installations provide Taiwan with the capability to monitor far into mainland China, according to security sources.
Since the inauguration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te in May, China has intensified its military pressure on the island, including conducting war games. Beijing labels President Lai as a “separatist” and has rebuffed his repeated offers for dialogue, standing firm on its claim of sovereignty over Taiwan. President Lai, however, insists that the future of Taiwan should be decided solely by its people.
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