News Analysis India

Tag: Taiwan

  • After Long Delays, US House To Vote On Aid Bills For Israel, Ukraine | world news

    New Delhi: United States House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday introduced a complex plan for providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan during wartime. Johnson announced that the Republican-led House would finally vote this week on aid legislation for Ukraine and Israel, following several months of delays and pressure from the right-wing.

    Speaker Johnson posted on ‘X’ about the next step, “This week, we will consider separate bills with a structured and germane amendment process to: Fund our ally Israel, Support Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression, Strengthen our allies in the Indo -Pacific (and) Pass additional measures to counter our adversaries and strengthen our national security,” the tweet read.

    I have just spoken with the @HouseGOP conference on my plan to address national security supplemental legislation on the growing security crises.

    This week, we will consider separate bills with a structured and germane amendment process to:

    •Fund our ally Israel •Support… — Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 15, 2024

    The Republican Speaker met with other Republican lawmakers on Monday evening to discuss his plan to get the House to agree to the funding package. With some conservatives strongly against helping Ukraine, Johnson aims to streamline the process by having one debate but separate votes on aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other foreign policy measures.

    Iran’s recent missile and drone attack on Israel has reignited pressure on House Republicans to act on the national security package. This comes after Speaker Johnson spent the last two months contemplating how to navigate political divisions within the House to move the package forward.

    As per report by news agency AP, While the House has been slow to take action, conflicts worldwide have intensified. Israel’s military leader stated on Monday that they would retaliate against Iran’s recent missile strike. On the other side, Ukraine’s military leader warned over the weekend that the situation in the eastern part of the country has deteriorated significantly in recent days, as warmer weather has enabled Russian forces to launch a fresh offensive.

    Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden who is currently hosting Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala at the White House, urged the House to promptly consider the funding package passed by the Senate. He said, “They have to do it now.”

  • Taiwan Hit By Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years; Tsunami Warnings Issued In Japan | world news

    Taipei: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale rocked Taiwan’s eastern shores on Wednesday leaving residents rattled and authorities on high alert. The US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quake’s magnitude, describing it as a “notable quake” with its epicentre located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 25.0 kilometers south-southeast of Hualien County Hall.

    Notable quake, preliminary info: M 7.4 – 18 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan https://t.co/G7yLg1BGyO — USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) April 3, 2024


    The quake’s depth was measured at 15.5 kilometers, according to the Seismology Center of Taiwan’s Central News Agency.


    An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 hit Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, on Wednesday morning, reports Reuters, citing the Taiwan central weather administration — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2024


    Tsunami Warnings Issued Across Japan

    Japan’s Meteorological Agency swiftly issued tsunami warnings for remote Japanese islands, including the Miyakojima island, in the wake of the earthquake off Taiwan’s coast. Residents were cautioned to prepare for waves as high as three meters (10 feet), heightening concerns for coastal communities in the affected regions.


    #WATCH | A very shallow earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck in the ocean near Taiwan. Japan has issued an evacuation advisory for the coastal areas of the southern prefecture of Okinawa after the earthquake triggered a tsunami warning. Tsunami waves of up to 3… pic.twitter.com/2Q1gd0lBaD — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2024

    Alert Across Taiwan

    Reports of the earthquake’s impact varied across Taiwan, with intensity levels of 5+ reported in Yilan County and Miaoli County, and 5- in several northern and central regions including Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Taichung City. The seismic event prompted the suspension of metro systems in major cities like Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, disrupting daily routines for commuters.

    In Japan, anticipation gripped coastal areas as authorities warned of potential tsunami surges. Tsunami alerts were issued for southwestern Japan’s Miyakojima and Yaeyama regions, along with Okinawa Prefecture’s main island. Residents were urged to evacuate promptly to higher ground or secure locations to ensure their safety.

    Echoes Of Past Tragedies

    For many in Taiwan, memories of past seismic disasters resurfaced. Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center, noted the quake’s significant impact, recalling it as the ”strongest” since the devastating earthquake of 1999. The tragic event claimed thousands of lives, serving as a stark reminder of the island’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

    “The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands,” said Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei’s Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center. “It’s the strongest in 25 years since the (1999) earthquake,” he told reporters.

    Heightened Vigilance Amidst Uncertainty

    As the situation unfolds, both Taiwan and Japan remain on high alert, bracing for potential aftershocks and assessing the extent of damage. With forecasters predicting tsunami waves of up to three meters in height, vigilance and precautionary measures are paramount to safeguarding lives and minimizing the impact of this natural disaster.

    A 7.6-magnitude quake hit Taiwan in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

  • '32 Aircraft, 5 Naval Ships In 24 Hours': Taiwan Tracks Increased Chinese Military Activity Around Nation | world news

    New Delhi: The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) has been closely monitoring an uptick in military activity in the region, with 32 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) detected from 6 am on Wednesday ( March 20) to the same time on Thursday (March 21). Notably, 20 of these aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, breaching Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) from various directions.

    In response to these incursions, Taiwan's Armed Forces have deployed Combat Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft, navy vessels, and coastal missile systems to track and respond to the activities identified within their jurisdiction.

    This increase in military presence follows a similar pattern observed the previous day, where the MND tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels. Of these, six aircraft entered the southwest corner of Taiwan's ADIZ. However, unlike the recent incidents, no aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait during that period.

    The MND's reports align with observations by Taiwan News, which has highlighted China's growing use of gray zone tactics since September 2020. These tactics involve a series of efforts to achieve security objectives without engaging in open conflict, marked by a gradual increase in the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating in the vicinity of Taiwan.

    In a related incident earlier in the week, the MND reported tracking ten Chinese naval vessels and nine military aircraft near Taiwan. Among these, a Chinese drone violated the southwest sector of Taiwan's ADIZ, and a PLA helicopter was observed in the southeast sector.

    The consistent monitoring and response by Taiwan's Armed Forces underscore the ongoing tensions and the delicate balance of power in the region.

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  • Taiwan Detects Seven Chinese Military Planes, Four Naval Vessels Around Nation | world news

    TAIPEI: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has detected seven Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 am (local time) on Tuesday and 6 am (local time) on Wednesday, Taiwan News reported. Following China’s action, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to keep a watch on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activity, Taiwan’s MND said. According to Taiwan’s MND, no PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) during that time.

    Meanwhile, one Chinese balloon was detected crossing the median line at 10:30 am (local time) on Tuesday, 119 km (64 NM) northwest of Keelung. The balloon flew east and disappeared at 12:15 pm (local time), according to Taiwan News report. So far in January, Taiwan detected 298 Chinese military aircraft and 136 naval ships. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan, the report said.

    Gray zone tactics is an “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force,” Taiwan News reported. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Marine Corps on Wednesday held a maritime drill at the Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung, featuring a mine-laying ship and a domestically built assault boat that carried out maritime surveillance and combat operations to simulate defending against a Chinese invasion, Focus Taiwan reported. citing Central News Agency (CNA).

    The manoeuvres, which took place in waters around Zuoying Harbour, were designed to test the Marine Corps’ ability to identify Chinese military movements quickly as well as their combat preparedness and capability, according to CNA report.

    During the exercise, the Taiwan Navy made an emergency departure from the harbor with a minelayer and an indigenous M109 assault boat and performed a variety of actions, including surveillance and the use of radar and drones to alert battleship systems to approaching hostile forces, the report said.