Wed Oct 23 13:23:26 UTC 2024: **Summary of News Article:**
– Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo called a potential Chinese blockade of Taiwan an act of war, following China’s recent military drills simulating such a scenario.
– China has conducted nearly daily military activities around Taiwan for the past five years, viewing the self-governing island as its territory.
– The recent Chinese war games included simulations of blockading ports and attacking maritime and land targets.
– Koo emphasized that a true blockade, which prevents aircraft and ships from entering an area, would violate international law and have serious implications for global trade, as one-fifth of global freight passes through the Taiwan Strait.
– Ongoing Chinese military activity includes the passage of an aircraft carrier group, the Liaoning, through the Taiwan Strait, raising concerns in Taiwan about its coastal security and potential boarding of Taiwanese civilian ships.
– The Taiwan Strait is a contested waterway, with China claiming jurisdiction while Taiwan and the U.S. argue it is an international passage. The U.S. Navy conducts freedom of navigation operations in the strait, which has drawn Beijing’s ire.
– Taiwan’s Coast Guard is prepared to respond to any boarding actions by China, aiming to protect its vessels without provocation.
First Piper 