Taiwan's military assembled its forces and said it was confident it could protect the island, after China started two days of ‘punishment’ drills around Taiwan on Thursday (May 23).

The exercises, conducted in the Taiwan Strait and near clusters of islands controlled by Taiwan adjacent to the Chinese coast, comes after three days of Lai Ching-te&nbsp;taking&nbsp;office as Taiwan's new president.

Lai is regarded by Beijing as a "separatist."

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China, which sees democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory,&nbsp;condemned Lai's inauguration speech in which he called on China to stop its threats.

Although, Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.

The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) stated that it had started joint military drills, involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force, in areas around Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. (2345 GMT).

The exercises are taking place in various locations, including the Taiwan Strait, the northern, southern, and eastern regions of Taiwan, and areas surrounding the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin, according to a statement from the command.

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Taiwan's defense ministry denounced the drills, stating that it had deployed forces to areas around the island and expressed confidence in its ability to defend its territory.

"The launch of military exercises on this occasion highlights China's militaristic mentality," the ministry said.

However, there was no sign of alarm in Taiwan, where people are long used to Chinese military activity.

<h2>China releases map of drills held in areas around Taiwan</h2>

Notably, Chinese state media published a map of the drills zones, in areas all around Taiwan and the islands Taiwan controls near the Chinese coast.

A statement was also published with details of what has been dubbed 'punishment' drills around Taiwan. Beijing said the two-day exercises from May 23 to May 24 were a response to 'separatist acts'.

<img alt="china releases map" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="523fedb5-42d4-4948-bba5-94b9524ffc09" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2851%29_1.png" />

(With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan's military assembled its forces and said it was confident it could protect the island, after China started two days of ‘punishment’ drills around Taiwan on Thursday (May 23).

Taiwan's military assembled its forces and said it was confident it could protect the island, after China started two days of ‘punishment’ drills around Taiwan on Thursday (May 23). The exercises, conducted in the Taiwan Strait and near clusters of islands controlled by Taiwan adjacent to the Chinese coast, comes after three days of Lai Ching-te taking office as Taiwan's new president. Lai is regarded by Beijing as a "separatist." Also read: Nikki Haley says she will vote for Donald Trump in US presidential elections China, which sees democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, condemned Lai's inauguration speech in which he called on China to stop its threats. Although, Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) stated that it had started joint military drills, involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force, in areas around Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. (2345 GMT). The exercises are taking place in various locations, including the Taiwan Strait, the northern, southern, and eastern regions of Taiwan, and areas surrounding the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin, according to a statement from the command. Also read: UK PM Rishi Sunak springs a surprise, announces general elections on July 4 Taiwan's defense ministry denounced the drills, stating that it had deployed forces to areas around the island and expressed confidence in its ability to defend its territory. "The launch of military exercises on this occasion highlights China's militaristic mentality," the ministry said. However, there was no sign of alarm in Taiwan, where people are long used to Chinese military activity. China releases map of drills held in areas around Taiwan Notably, Chinese state media published a map of the drills zones, in areas all around Taiwan and the islands Taiwan controls near the Chinese coast. A statement was also published with details of what has been dubbed 'punishment' drills around Taiwan. Beijing said the two-day exercises from May 23 to May 24 were a response to 'separatist acts'. (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan sends out forces around island after China starts 'punishment' drills

The Chinese military released an animated short film on National Day showing pieces of a scroll painting torn in two more than 300 years ago being reunited, in a show of the mainland's determination to bring self-ruled Taiwan into the fold.

The pieces of the "The Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains", one of China's best-known ancient paintings, are kept separately in museums in China and Taiwan, the democratically governed island that Beijing claims as one its provinces, and which it reserves the right to take over by force.

On National Day on Sunday, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command, known for belligerent videos of exercises around Taiwan, released an animated short film called "Dreams Come True on Fuchun River", appealing to the shared cultural roots of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

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The film featured two elves, representing the two pieces of the painting by Yuan dynasty master Huang Gongwang, which was torn apart in the 17th century by one of its owners.

At the end of the movie, the two characters came together, magically making the painting whole again.

The shorter piece of the scroll, known as "The Remaining Mountain", about 51 cm long, is at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou city. Taiwan's National Palace Museum has kept the 640-cm long "Master Wuyong Scroll" since the 1950s.

The two pieces were reunited in 2011 when China lent its fragment to the Taiwanese museum for two months during a period of warmer relations as Taiwan pursued a policy of economic rapprochement with China.

But in recent years, as relations have cooled, China has ramped up military activities around Taiwan, including drills over the past month that Beijing said were targeted at combating separatist forces.

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At the same time, China is drafting ambitious plans to "integrate" the economies of its Fujian province and Taiwan, on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, offering Taiwan firms a chance to take part in a joint development plan, which Taiwan's government has spurned.

While China is keen to woo Taiwan with promises of economic gains, the threat of taking Taiwan by force is unrelenting.

During the journey by the two elves in the film, the Eastern Theatre Command inserted shots of aircraft carrier formations and J-20 fighter jets, reminding viewers of its battlefield capabilities.

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The Chinese military released an animated short film on National Day showing pieces of a scroll painting torn in two more than 300 years ago being reunited, in a show of the mainland's determination to bring self-ruled Taiwan into the fold.

The Chinese military released an animated short film on National Day showing pieces of a scroll painting torn in two more than 300 years ago being reunited, in a show of the mainland's determination to bring self-ruled Taiwan into the fold. The pieces of the "The Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains", one of China's best-known ancient paintings, are kept separately in museums in China and Taiwan, the democratically governed island that Beijing claims as one its provinces, and which it reserves the right to take over by force. On National Day on Sunday, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command, known for belligerent videos of exercises around Taiwan, released an animated short film called "Dreams Come True on Fuchun River", appealing to the shared cultural roots of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Also read | 55 Chinese sailors die of poisoning, asphyxiation in nuclear submarine accident: Report The film featured two elves, representing the two pieces of the painting by Yuan dynasty master Huang Gongwang, which was torn apart in the 17th century by one of its owners. At the end of the movie, the two characters came together, magically making the painting whole again. The shorter piece of the scroll, known as "The Remaining Mountain", about 51 cm long, is at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou city. Taiwan's National Palace Museum has kept the 640-cm long "Master Wuyong Scroll" since the 1950s. The two pieces were reunited in 2011 when China lent its fragment to the Taiwanese museum for two months during a period of warmer relations as Taiwan pursued a policy of economic rapprochement with China. But in recent years, as relations have cooled, China has ramped up military activities around Taiwan, including drills over the past month that Beijing said were targeted at combating separatist forces. Also read | China's economic rollercoaster: Youth bet on lottery dreams At the same time, China is drafting ambitious plans to "integrate" the economies of its Fujian province and Taiwan, on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, offering Taiwan firms a chance to take part in a joint development plan, which Taiwan's government has spurned. While China is keen to woo Taiwan with promises of economic gains, the threat of taking Taiwan by force is unrelenting. During the journey by the two elves in the film, the Eastern Theatre Command inserted shots of aircraft carrier formations and J-20 fighter jets, reminding viewers of its battlefield capabilities. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Two elves and a scroll: China military releases animation on Taiwan 'reunification'

U.S. allies Australia and Japan agreed to share more sensitive intelligence and deepen their military cooperation as they signed a security pact aimed at countering China's rising military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. 
 
Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Anthony Albanese inked the accord at the annual Australia-Japan Leaders' Meeting in the Western Australia capital Perth on Saturday as they updated a 2007 pact, to respond to a changed regional security environment, reported Reuters. 
 
The earlier 15-year-old agreement had been drafted when terrorism and weapons proliferation were the overriding concerns.&nbsp; 
 
“This landmark declaration sends a strong signal to the region of our strategic alignment,” said Albanese, hailing the ‘Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation’. 
Without citing China or North Korea by name, Kishida said the agreement was a response to an ‘increasingly harsh strategic environment’. &nbsp; 
 
In their fourth summit since Albanese took office in May, the two leaders said the agreement would serve “as a compass” for security cooperation for the next decade and agreed to consult and study responses to emergencies that could affect regional security, said an AFP report. 
 
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Albanese and Kishida also discussed climate change, and expressed support for a regional transition to net zero carbon emissions, boosting investment in clean energy tech and both countries are committed to net zero by 2050. 
 
Under the bolstered accord, the two countries agreed that their military forces would train together in Northern Australia, and would “expand and strengthen cooperation across defence, intelligence sharing,” reported Reuters quoting Australian officials.&nbsp; 
 
International affairs expert Bryce Wakefield told AFP, Australia and Japan do not have armies of overseas intelligence operatives and foreign informants needed to play in the major leagues of global espionage, but they have remarkable signals and geospatial capabilities -- electronic eavesdropping and high-tech satellites that provide invaluable intelligence on adversaries. 
 
Japan does not have a foreign spy agency equivalent to America's CIA, Britain's MI6, Russia's FSB or Australia's much smaller agency ASIO.&nbsp; 
Wakefield, director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, said the agreement could have larger significance for Japan by providing it a template to accelerate intelligence ties with countries like Britain. 
 
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Some even consider the pact to be a key step towards Japan joining the powerful Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance between Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. 
 
“It is an epoch-making event for Japan. This will also strengthen the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States) and is the first step for Japan joining the Five Eyes,” Ken Kotani, an expert in the history of Japanese intelligence at Nihon University told AFP. 
Such a proposition would have been impossible a few decades ago. But events in Japan’s neighbourhood have forced a rethink of the country’s pacifist policies established after World War II, Kotani added.

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As reported extensively by WION,&nbsp;in recent years, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles over and around Japan, while China has built the world’s largest navy, revamped the globe’s biggest standing army, and amassed a nuclear and ballistic arsenal right on Japan’s doorstep.&nbsp; 
 
Kishida told reporters that the signing of the updated joint security declaration was one of the biggest achievements of his visit. 
 
“I expressed my determination that all necessary options for the defence of our country, including the counterstrike capability, would be contemplated. Japan’s defence capability will be fundamentally reinforced in the next five years,” he said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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U.S. allies Australia and Japan agreed to share more sensitive intelligence and deepen their military cooperation as they signed a security pact aimed at countering China's rising military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. allies Australia and Japan agreed to share more sensitive intelligence and deepen their military cooperation as they signed a security pact aimed at countering China's rising military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Anthony Albanese inked the accord at the annual Australia-Japan Leaders' Meeting in the Western Australia capital Perth on Saturday as they updated a 2007 pact, to respond to a changed regional security environment, reported Reuters. The earlier 15-year-old agreement had been drafted when terrorism and weapons proliferation were the overriding concerns. “This landmark declaration sends a strong signal to the region of our strategic alignment,” said Albanese, hailing the ‘Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation’. Without citing China or North Korea by name, Kishida said the agreement was a response to an ‘increasingly harsh strategic environment’. In their fourth summit since Albanese took office in May, the two leaders said the agreement would serve “as a compass” for security cooperation for the next decade and agreed to consult and study responses to emergencies that could affect regional security, said an AFP report. ALSO READ | After UK, Australia to also investigate reports that China hired its ex-military pilots Albanese and Kishida also discussed climate change, and expressed support for a regional transition to net zero carbon emissions, boosting investment in clean energy tech and both countries are committed to net zero by 2050. Under the bolstered accord, the two countries agreed that their military forces would train together in Northern Australia, and would “expand and strengthen cooperation across defence, intelligence sharing,” reported Reuters quoting Australian officials. International affairs expert Bryce Wakefield told AFP, Australia and Japan do not have armies of overseas intelligence operatives and foreign informants needed to play in the major leagues of global espionage, but they have remarkable signals and geospatial capabilities -- electronic eavesdropping and high-tech satellites that provide invaluable intelligence on adversaries. Japan does not have a foreign spy agency equivalent to America's CIA, Britain's MI6, Russia's FSB or Australia's much smaller agency ASIO. Wakefield, director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, said the agreement could have larger significance for Japan by providing it a template to accelerate intelligence ties with countries like Britain. ALSO READ | 60 years of India-China war: It won’t be a cakewalk for the aggressor again Some even consider the pact to be a key step towards Japan joining the powerful Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance between Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. “It is an epoch-making event for Japan. This will also strengthen the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States) and is the first step for Japan joining the Five Eyes,” Ken Kotani, an expert in the history of Japanese intelligence at Nihon University told AFP. Such a proposition would have been impossible a few decades ago. But events in Japan’s neighbourhood have forced a rethink of the country’s pacifist policies established after World War II, Kotani added. ALSO READ | Japanese yen hits 150-mark against US dollar - worst since August 1990 As reported extensively by WION, in recent years, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles over and around Japan, while China has built the world’s largest navy, revamped the globe’s biggest standing army, and amassed a nuclear and ballistic arsenal right on Japan’s doorstep. Kishida told reporters that the signing of the updated joint security declaration was one of the biggest achievements of his visit. “I expressed my determination that all necessary options for the defence of our country, including the counterstrike capability, would be contemplated. Japan’s defence capability will be fundamentally reinforced in the next five years,” he said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Japan, Australia ink ‘landmark’ security pact to counter China’s military build-up in Indo-Pacific

India and the US are expanding their defence partnership to tackle China's military aggression. A key military pact was inked in Delhi today. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how the Basic Exchange & Cooperation Agreement (BECA) helps India in the ongoing border standoff with China.

Gravitas: India-China standoff: How Indo-US military pact helps Indian forces