China has kicked off large-scale military and coastguard exercises around Taiwan, the latest round in Beijing’s escalating campaign to assert its claims of sovereignty and suppress the island nation’s efforts to preserve its de facto independence. The drills came as Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te seeks to improve military and civilian preparedness for a potential Chinese attack and strengthen society to defend against espionage and other infiltration from China, which he called a “hostile foreign force”. The People’s Liberation Army said naval, air, ground and missile forces were practicing “seizing comprehensive control, strikes on sea and land targets and blockade operations”. The China Coast Guard also announced simultaneous “law enforcement patrols” which it said would exercise inspecting, intercepting and detaining “unwarranted vessels”. The PLA sends aircraft and ships into the airspace and waters close to Taiwan almost daily, and routinely holds what it calls combat readiness patrols.
Meanwhile, a34% tariff on China will add to previous duties, like the 20% tariff Trump imposed over fentanyl. The base tariff rate on Chinese imports will be 54%, before adding tariffs imposed during biden’s regime or Trump’s 1st term.
Supplemental Info:
https://www.ft.com/content/49f....45301-4f96-4dec-9157
