Taiwan Warns of Chinese Naval Threat Across Pacific
Joseph Wu warns of an obvious simultaneous threat to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines after tracking 53 Chinese vessels across the Pacific.
National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu warned that China is posing an "obvious" simultaneous threat to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. Wu published a map identifying 53 Chinese naval and official vessels operating across a region stretching from southern Japan to the Philippines, including 34 warships. The aircraft carrier Liaoning and its battle group were positioned east of the Philippines, while other formations were located off southern Japan and the east and southeast coasts of Taiwan.
Japan's Ministry of Defense confirmed tracking three Chinese warships and a Coast Guard ship passing through the Osumi Strait into the Pacific. The Ministry of National Defense of China characterized the Liaoning's activities as routine training not directed at any specific country.
Taiwan's Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo stated that China has never abandoned the use of force to annex Taiwan and argued that attempts to project deterrence could undermine peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Simultaneously, Ronald Clark, commander of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific, stated that the military is preparing for the possibility of China moving on Taiwan as early as next year.
