China threatens to take over Taiwan by conducting live-fire military drill of 'soldiers seizing an island' as political tensions spike to new high
China has threatened to take over self-ruled Taiwan by releasing footage of its soldiers 'seizing an island' during a live-fire drill.
In the video released by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, troops from the People's Liberation Army are seen simulating an attack on an unidentified island during the large-scale military exercise.
The footage comes as political tensions between China and Taiwan have spiked to a new high after Beijing aired a purported confession from a Taiwanese businessman who is held captive by Chinese authorities on spying charges.
China has signalled new threats to take over self-ruled Taiwan as the Chinese military is filmed conducting live-fire drill of 'soldiers seizing an island' in a newly-released video
In a new video released by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, troops from the People's Liberation Army are seen simulating an attack on an unidentified Chinese island
Political tensions between China and Taiwan have spiked to a new high after Beijing aired a purported confession from a Taiwanese man who is held captive by China on spying charges
China responded to Taiwanese President Tsai's extending of an olive branch with a new video featuring amphibious landing craft, attack helicopters and land-based missiles
China considers Taiwan part of its territory, to be absorbed into the mainland, by force if necessary, even though it has been self-ruled for more than seven decades.
Beijing has ratcheted up pressure on the democratic island since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who rejects its view that Taiwan is part of 'one China'.
On Saturday, the Taiwanese President said she has hopes for less tensions with China and in the region if Beijing will listen to Taipei´s concerns, alter its approach and restart dialogue with the self-ruled island democracy.
Speaking at Taiwan's National Day celebrations on Saturday, Tsai took note of recent remarks by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a video message to the UN General Assembly that China would never seek hegemony, expansion or to establish a sphere of influence.
'As countries in the region and around the world are now concerned about China´s expanding hegemony, we hope this is the beginning of genuine change,' Tsai said in her annual address at the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei.
Beijing has ratcheted up pressure on the democratic island since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who rejects its view that Taiwan is part of 'one China'. Beijing's state broadcaster released new footage of its troops simulating an island attack on Saturday
The footage released by CCTV is said to have been filmed during a 'multidimensional' drill off China's south-eastern coasts of Fujian and Guangdong provinces.
China responded to Tsai's extending of an olive branch with a new video showing Chinese soldiers seizing an island during a military exercise. The live-fire drill, reportedly took place in southeast China, showed amphibious landing craft, attack helicopters and land-based missiles
But China responded to Tsai's extending of an olive branch with a new video showing Chinese soldiers taking control of an island during a military exercise.
The live-fire training session also featured amphibious landing craft, attack helicopters and land-based missiles.
The footage released by CCTV is said to have been filmed during a 'multi-dimensional' drill off China's south-eastern coasts of Fujian and Guangdong provinces.
The exercise was reportedly conducted by the PLA's 73rd group army, believed to be the main force which would be used in China's potential attacks on Taiwan.
Over the weekend, China also also aired footage of a detained Taiwanese man who was accused by Beijing of 'endangering national security', adding more fuel to the already-strained relations with the island.
Lee Meng-chu, a Taiwanese businessman, appeared on Chinese television Sunday evening, admitting to illegally filming military exercises in a city bordering Hong Kong during protests there last year.
'I took my phone to record some videos,' Lee said in the CCTV state television report on Sunday, interspersed with scenes from his alleged actions.
'I am sorry. I have done a lot of bad things,' said Lee, his hair cropped short, wearing a blue shirt and an orange vest with his prisoner number.
Over the weekend, the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen (pictured on Saturday) said she has hopes for less tensions with China and in the region if Beijing will listen to Taipei´s concerns, alter its approach and restart dialogue with the self-ruled island democracy
Over the weekend, China also also aired footage of a detained Taiwanese man, Lee Meng-chu (pictured in the footage), who was accused by Beijing of 'endangering national security' on state TV, adding more fuel to the already-strained relations with the island
China claimed that it had captured a number of people spying for rival Taiwan and cracked over a series of espionage cases. The picture shows the items seized from the Taiwanese businessman, Lee Meng-chu, who was accused by Beijing of 'endangering national security'
It said he was detained in August at a Shenzhen border crossing.
'The pictures and videos he shot are enough for professional espionage organisations analysis. It is enough for them to assess our entire troop's numbers and equipment status,' said an unnamed police officer interviewed in the segment.
China also claimed that it had captured a number of people spying for rival Taiwan and cracked over a series of espionage cases.
China and Taiwan split amid a civil war in 1949 and have extensive business ties but no official relations. Both sides regularly gather intelligence on each other.
Security personnel solved more than 100 spying cases part of an initiative dubbed Operation Thunder 2020, the state media reported.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs council said Monday the accusations are purely 'political speculation' from the Chinese side.
China is 'falsely accusing our people of espionage' and 'harming the relations between the two sides,' the council said in a statement.
The council criticised a 13-minute-long TV segment in which Lee was shown confessing as 'totally inconsistent with due process of law.'