Press release of the Ministry of National Defense
Time: September 26, 2024 at 12:50

    In response to recent trends and developments by PLA as it carried out missile launch tests and military exercises, and also live-fire firings in areas around the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated today (26th) that PLA has, on the one hand, adopted long-distance sea voyages, joint combat readiness and patrols, and other actions to intimidate neighboring countries, revealing militaristic mentality. It has, as well, made use of military talks and others to create the false impression of peaceful dialogue, considered a demonstration of two-handed strategy for both peace and war strategies. Most of all, these measures have well confirmed and supported the saying of Communist China for "China threat theory".

    As pointed by pointed out by MND, it has, since 08:00 this morning, successively detected a total of 29 sorties of various PLA main and auxiliary fighter aircraft as J-16, KJ-500 and UAVs for sea-faring activities. Among them, 21 of the sorties crossed the median line and its extension line to enter our northern, central and southwest airspace, as they worked out with PLA warships in conducting "Joint combat readiness and patrols." In coping with it, the Armed Forces adopted joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation, and dispatched mission aircraft, warships and shore-based missile systems to respond appropriately.

    MND stated that military drills were held by PLA when the commander of the Southern Theater Command concurrently paid oversea visit to conduct "Military exchanges." As such, troops from the Eastern Theater Command and other units conducted multiple waves of live fire in the waters of Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea near Japan and the Korean Peninsula, which have well highlighted the hegemonic nature of its authoritarian regime in short of policy stability, and posed severe challenges to neighboring countries.

    MND emphasized that the Armed Forces will, in response to the threats as comprehensive escalation of military force by PLA and significant shortening of our strategic warning time, continue to exhaust all efforts to work on military build-up and preparedness for war, enhance asymmetric deterrent capabilities, and deepen the patriotic beliefs of servicemen to develop reliable military power and defense resilience, thus safeguarding our state sovereignty and security of our nationals.