Beijing reportedly mobilised more than 100 ships around Taiwan
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Bénin Web TV and Zambian Observer
Beijing reportedly mobilised more than 100 vessels, including naval and coast guard ships, in the western Pacific in early November, according to Taiwanese officials relayed by Bénin Web TV. On Friday 13 November, around 70 ships were still within the first island chain, according to Taiwan’s security services.
The deployment involved several Chinese military commands and reportedly included simulated attacks on armed forces and cities. Its scale reportedly exceeded that of the manoeuvres officially named "Justice Mission 2025", according to a senior Taiwanese official. The operation is described as one of the largest maritime mobilisations around the island.
Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, reported the presence of the aircraft carrier Liaoning east of the Philippines. Taiwan’s Minister of Defence, Wellington Koo, had said on Tuesday 10 November that the vessel was taking part in access-denial exercises, designed to complicate the intervention of opposing forces in a maritime zone.
Meeting in Paris, the foreign ministers of the G7 warned, in a statement published on Wednesday 11 November, against Chinese patrols conducted east of Taiwan.
