Taiwan on Alert Due to ‘Multiple Waves’ of Missile Launches from Inland China, Reports Reuters

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s Defence Ministry announced on Sunday that it is on high alert following the detection of “multiple waves” of missile launches deep within China. This development comes shortly after Beijing reported a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Taiwan, a democratically governed region that China considers to be part of its territory, closely monitors Chinese military activities, particularly in light of Beijing’s frequent exercises around the island. However, it rarely discloses specifics about actions occurring within China itself.

According to the ministry, beginning at 6:50 a.m. local time, it identified “multiple waves of firing” by China’s Rocket Force and army in Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, all of which are more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) away from Taiwan.

Taiwan’s military is “continuously monitoring relevant developments,” and air defence forces are maintaining a heightened state of vigilance, as stated in their report.

The Chinese Defence Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The Rocket Force oversees China’s conventional and nuclear missile capabilities.

Earlier in the week, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry expressed concern over an uptick in Chinese military activity surrounding the island, as well as live-fire drills, alleging that Beijing’s actions indicated instability in its policies.

In response, China’s military asserted that its maneuvers near Taiwan were “legitimate” and that it would continue its drills without pause. A day prior, China had claimed to have successfully conducted a rare intercontinental ballistic missile launch into the Pacific Ocean.

In August 2022, China fired missiles into the waters around Taiwan during military exercises as a response to then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.

Security sources indicate that Taiwan has powerful radar systems installed on central mountain peaks, enabling extensive surveillance into Chinese territory.