MOFA condemns China’s decision to hold live-fire exercises on July 23 and 24 in western Taiwan Strait

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns China for suddenly announcing on July 23 that it would hold live-fire exercises on July 23 and 24 in portions of the Taiwan Strait. MOFA calls on China to engage in rational conduct, show self-restraint, and immediately cease its military provocations and gray-zone intrusions.  The announcement was issued as a navigation warning by China’s Zhangzhou Maritime Safety Administration, which also established a restricted zone. This provocative action by China has blatantly violated international norms, severely affected regional security and stability, and jeopardized maritime and air traffic. The ROC (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country and neither it nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. As a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan has remained committed to the maintenance of peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the region. In contrast, China has betrayed its nature as a troublemaker in flouting the collective expectations of the international community for regional security by unilaterally engaging in military coercion in the waters of the ...