TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Army’s Kinmen Defense Command is set to hold a series of live-fire drills in the outlying islands of Kinmen, Lieyu, Menghu, and Houyu next month.
The drills come amid increased cross-strait tensions after two Chinese died when their speedboat capsized near Kinmen last month. Not long after, Chinese coast guard personnel intercepted and boarded a Taiwanese tour boat after it strayed near Chinese waters. Since then, China has dispatched multiple coast guard ships into the restricted areas around Kinmen.
The Army said the drills are routine and do not target any specific entity, CNA reported.
The Kinmen Defense Command will conduct ground-to-sea live-fire exercises on Houyu Island on April 2, with a maximum trajectory height of 1,000 feet (305 m). On April 3, ground-to-sea live-fire exercises will be conducted on Menghu Island, with a maximum trajectory height of 1,000 feet.
Live-fire exercises will also occur on April 3 on Fu Shing Island, with a maximum trajectory height of 1,000 feet. Additionally, ground-to-sea live-fire exercises will be conducted on Shiyu Island on April 17 and 25, with a maximum trajectory height of 1,000 feet.
Kinmen Defense Command will conduct ground-to-sea live-fire exercises toward Mumu Island on April 8-13, 16-18, 22, and 24, with a maximum trajectory height of 1,000 feet. On April 11, 16-19, and 25, the command will conduct ground-to-sea live-fire exercises toward Mumu Island with a maximum trajectory height of 6,600 feet.
On April 2, 9-11, 16-18, and 23-25, ground-to-sea shooting exercises will be conducted in the Donggang area of Lieyu Island, with a maximum trajectory height of 6,600 feet.
Beijing usually sends 10 warplanes and 3-4 naval ships on joint patrols near Taiwan, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said during a recent report to parliament. "They are trying to normalize their military activities," Tsai said.
