Chinese authorities have firmly defended recent military drone training exercises conducted near Dongsha Island in the South China Sea, characterizing them as legitimate operations within China’s sovereign territory. The response came through Peng Qing’en, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, who addressed concerns raised by Taiwan’s defense department regarding the PLA Southern Theater Command’s activities.
In official statements delivered Wednesday, Peng dismissed Taiwan’s characterization of the drone operations as “highly provocative and irresponsible,” instead asserting China’s unquestionable legal right to conduct military exercises in what he described as indisputably Chinese waters. The spokesperson further escalated rhetoric by labeling Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities as “absolute troublemakers” for their stance on the matter.
The diplomatic exchange represents the latest chapter in ongoing tensions across the Taiwan Strait, with Beijing maintaining its consistent position regarding Taiwan’s status as an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Peng emphasized that regardless of statements or actions from DPP authorities, they cannot alter what China views as established historical and legal facts concerning Taiwan’s relationship to mainland China.
Additionally, the spokesperson addressed recent coast guard patrols in waters near Dongsha Island, defending them as justified measures to maintain navigation order and protect fishermen’s safety from both sides of the strait. Peng issued a stern warning that any provocative actions by Taiwanese authorities in these waters would bear full consequences, underscoring Beijing’s determination to safeguard its territorial claims through both military and law enforcement presence.