China starts new round of war games near Taiwan, offers no end date

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) -China's military started a new round of war games near Taiwan on Monday, saying it was a warning to the "separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces", and offered no date for when they may conclude, drawing condemnation from Taipei's government.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, had been on alert for more war games since last week's national day speech by President Lai Ching-te, an address Beijing condemned after Lai said China had no right to represent Taiwan even as he offered to cooperate with Beijing.

The Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command said the "Joint Sword-2024B" drills were taking place in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan.

"The drill also serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces. It is a legitimate and necessary operation for safeguarding state sovereignty and national unity," it said in a statement carried both in Chinese and English.

The command published a map showing nine areas around Taiwan where the drills were taking place - two on the island's east coast, three on the west coast, one to the north and three around Taiwan-controlled islands next to the Chinese coast.

Chinese ships and aircraft are approaching Taiwan in "close proximity from different directions", focusing on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, blockading key ports and areas, assaulting maritime and ground targets and "joint seizure of comprehensive superiority", the command said.

However, it did not announce any live-fire exercises or any no fly areas. In 2022, shortly after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China fired missiles over the island.

In rare operations, China's coast guard circled Taiwan and staged "law enforcement" patrols close to Taiwan's offshore islands, according to Chinese state media.

Taiwan's China policy making Mainland Affairs Council said that China's latest war games and refusal to renounce the use of force were "blatant provocations" that seriously undermined regional peace and stability.

In the face of the further political, military and economic threats posed by China to Taiwan in recent days, Taiwan would not back down, Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.

"President Lai has already expressed his goodwill in his national day speech and is willing to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait together with the Chinese communists," it added.

Taiwan's defence ministry said it had dispatched its own forces.

Lai's national day speech highlighted the current state of cross-strait relations and the firm will to safeguard peace and stability and advocated future cooperation in coping with challenges like climate change, the ministry added.

"The Chinese communists' claim of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' is a complete departure from the truth," it added.

A senior Taiwan security official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, said they believed China was practicing blockading Taiwanese ports to the north and south of the island and international shipping lanes as well as repelling the arrival of foreign forces.

Taiwan on Sunday had reported a Chinese aircraft carrier group sailing to the island's south through the strategic Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan from the Philippines and connects the South China Sea to the Pacific.

Chinese state media has since Thursday run a series of stories and commentaries denouncing Lai's speech, and on Sunday the Eastern Theatre Command released a video saying it was "prepared for battle".

The PLA's Liberation Army Daily newspaper wrote on Monday that "those who play with fire get burned!".

"As long as the 'Taiwan independence' provocations continue, the PLA's actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop," the paper said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the war games. The U.S. last week said China had no justification for using Lai's national day speech as a pretext for military pressure.

China held the "Joint Sword-2024A" drills for two days around Taiwan in May shortly after Lai took office, saying they were "punishment" for separatist content in his inauguration speech.

Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China but has been rebuffed. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future and rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Writing by Greg Torode; Editing by Stephen Coates)