Chinese general says military exercises around Taiwan mean they can ‘strike whenever we want’

A Chinese major general said on state television that military live-fire exercises are “surrounding the whole island” of Taiwan so they can “strike whenever we want, however, we want.”

“We are calm and not impetuous, but we will defend our sovereignty and democracy,” Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen said in response to the drills.

The military exercises, which commenced on Thursday (4 August), have been condemned by Japan’s prime minsiter Fumio Kishida as being a threat to regional security.

Click here to sign up to our newsletters.