China may launch attack under guise of military drills, Taiwan warns

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) — Taiwan warned on Thursday of a possible attack by China "under the guise" of military drills in its region.

The concern was flagged by Defense Minister Wellington Koo, who noted that Beijing's expanding range of military maneuvers was making it harder to anticipate their actions, news website Focus Taiwan reported.

China has been using a mix of "conventional" military activities, like joint air and sea exercises, alongside "unconventional" tactics such as "gray zone" incursions into Taiwan's airspace and waters, Koo told reporters.

He noted that Beijing was likely to continue this pattern of military activity, irrespective of the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election in November.

China flies and sails military planes and naval vessels on an almost daily basis around Taiwan, which it considers as its "breakaway province" while Taipei has maintained its independence since 1949.

In the recent past, the Chinese military has held large-scale military exercises around Taiwan to thwart any "separatist" movements.

Koo said Taiwan's armed forces must remain prepared, conducting drills for this scenario and maintaining sufficient defense capabilities.