Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday it is watching the movements of a Chinese aircraft carrier and assessing China’s military activities as security sources said Beijing could launch new war games as soon as this weekend.
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has held two rounds of war games around the island so far this year, and its forces operate nearby on a daily basis.
China has a strong dislike of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom it calls a “separatist”, and sources have told Reuters it could launch new drills to coincide with his trip to the Pacific this week which includes visits to Hawaii and Guam.
Speaking at a regular news briefing, Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang said Taiwan knew where Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning was, but could not give details. The Liaoning was involved in the last Chinese war games in October.
“The Ministry of National Defence takes a serious view of the enemy situation and handles this matter very seriously. We have very solid preparations and are not afraid of any threats,” he said.
Asked whether Chinese war games could start this weekend given Lai returns to Taiwan late on Friday, Sun declined direct comment.
“We have a very thorough judgment of the enemy situation, and there are a lot of indicators here that we use to make appropriate judgments to deal with the situation.”
China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China’s government has expressed anger at the U.S. for allowing Lai to visit.
Lai rejects China’s sovereignty claims but says he wants peace with Beijing and has repeatedly offered talks, but been rebuffed.
Three Taipei-based security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, said that based on latest intelligence assessments, chances of war games starting this weekend were high.
