Taiwan Raises Military Alert as China Conducts Naval Exercises

Taiwan's military heightened its alert and established an emergency center as China set up seven airspace zones and deployed naval fleets around Taiwan. China's actions followed Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's Pacific visit. Taiwan deems China's maneuvers provocative, stressing regional peace and rejecting Beijing's sovereignty claims.

Taiwan's military heightened its alert status on Monday, setting up an emergency response center. This response follows China's establishment of seven reserved airspace zones and the deployment of naval and coast guard fleets near the island.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and was anticipated to conduct military exercises after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited the Pacific, including stops in Hawaii and Guam. According to Taiwan's defense ministry, China set up "temporary reserved areas" of airspace near its Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, effective until Wednesday.

Taiwan's military warned that China's actions could destabilize the Indo-Pacific region. The coast guard reported "grey-zone harassment" by Chinese ships and reiterated Taiwan's right to respond to any provocations, affirming that only Taiwan's people can determine their future.

(With inputs from agencies.)