China warns Taiwan's president is pushing island towards 'war'

BEIJING

<p>An outdoor screen shows a news coverage of China's military drills around Taiwan, in Beijing on May 23, 2024.</p>

China warned on Friday that Taiwan's leadership was pushing the self-ruled island into "a perilous situation of war and danger" and that it would go "further" if provoked, as Beijing conducted military drills around the territory.

"Since taking office, the leader of the Taiwan region has seriously challenged the one-China principle... pushing our compatriots in Taiwan into a perilous situation of war and danger," Beijing's defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said in a statement.

"This is purely playing with fire, and those who play with fire will surely get themselves burnt," Wu said.

Chinese warships and fighter jets surrounded Taiwan on Friday in the second day of drills that Beijing said were testing its ability to seize the island, days after its new president was sworn in.

And Wu warned that it would take further steps if forces pushing for Taiwan's independence provoked Beijing.

"We will push our countermeasures one step further, until the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved," he said.

China's military kicked off the war games Thursday morning, surrounding Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft, while vowing the blood of "independence forces" on the island would flow.

The exercises — codenamed "Joint Sword-2024A" — come after Lai Ching-te took office as Taiwan's new president this week and made an inauguration speech that China denounced as a "confession of independence".

The drills are part of an escalating campaign of intimidation by China that has seen it carry out a series of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in recent years.

The two-day exercises are testing the "capability of joint seizure of power, joint strikes and control of key territories", said Li Xi, spokesman for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command.

The United Nations called for all sides to avoid escalation, while the United States — Taiwan's strongest ally and military backer — "strongly" urged China to act with restraint.

  'Strong punishment' 

Beijing, which split with Taipei at the end of a civil war 75 years ago, regards the island as a renegade province with which it must eventually be reunified.

As the drills got under way, Beijing said they would serve as "strong punishment for the separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence' forces".

Footage published by China's military showed soldiers streaming out of a building to battle stations and jets taking off to a rousing martial tune.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that Chinese sailors had called out to their Taiwanese counterparts at sea, warning them against "resisting reunification by force".

President Lai said he would "stand on the front line" to defend Taiwan in a speech on Thursday afternoon, without directly referring to the ongoing drills.

China has repeatedly branded Lai a "dangerous separatist" who would bring "war and decline" to the island.

Beijing was further incensed with his inauguration speech on Monday, in which he hailed a "glorious" era for Taiwan's democracy.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday delivered a warning that included language more commonly used by China's propaganda outlets.

"Taiwan independence forces will be left with their heads broken and blood flowing after colliding against the great... trend of China achieving complete unification," Wang told reporters.

And Beijing's Xinhua news agency and ruling party organ the People's Daily both ran editorials hailing the drills on Friday, slamming Lai's "treacherous behaviour" and promising a "severe blow".

The drills are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island, as well as areas around the Taipei-administered islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin.

Beijing has said the drills will last until Friday, but analysts say it could choose to extend the war games or launch missiles near Taiwan, as it did after a visit to the island by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022.

Taipei's defense ministry said Thursday that the Chinese military had gotten within 24 nautical miles (44 kilometres) of Taiwan's main island.