Tensions Escalate: China to Conduct Live-Fire Drills Amidst US-Canada Naval Passage

China plans live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait following US and Canadian warships' passage. The exercises, set near Niushan Island, arise amid rising tensions over freedom of navigation in contested waters. Beijing criticized the US and Canada for disturbing regional peace and stability.

China is poised to initiate live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. Local media sources from Taiwan reported this, referencing several Chinese news outlets. This development transpires shortly after warships from the United States and Canada navigated the contested waters of the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, subsequent to a substantial military exercise by Beijing a week prior.

The scheduled live-fire exercises will occur in a demarcated zone around Niushan Island from 9 AM to 1 PM local time. China's official Fujian Daily, citing information from the Maritime Safety Administration on Pingtan Island, relayed this from the coast of Fujian Province, China, as reported by Focus Taiwan. The announcement indicated that ships are prohibited from entering the specified area during this period.

Niushan Island is situated roughly 80 kilometers south of the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands and about 165 kilometers from Taipei. Renowned for its lighthouse, the island is crucial for aiding vessel navigation through the Taiwan Strait, particularly near the currently inactive ferry route linking Pingtan and Taipei.

On Sunday, the US Navy confirmed that the USS Higgins destroyer and Canadian HMCS Vancouver frigate had conducted what was described as a routine passage through the Taiwan Strait. This comes amidst ongoing assertions of high-seas freedom of navigation and overflight, in alignment with international law. According to Xinhua, a Chinese military spokesperson claimed that the US and Canada's actions disrupted the peace and stability within the Taiwan Strait.

Additionally, on Tuesday, 17 aircraft and nine vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy were detected operating around Taiwan, up until 6 a.m. According to the Ministry of National Defense, 11 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern air defense identification zones. Authorities reportedly monitored the situation and responded as needed, per information from ANI.

(With inputs from agencies.)