warships, including Type 055 destroyers, reportedly sailed through the Bashi channel and Miyako Strait into the Pacific on Wednesday, according to Reuters, citing an unnamed senior official.
Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu said:"With this level of threat against Taiwan, heightened acts in the South China Sea and joint military exercises with Russia in August, it's hard to believe PRC really wants peace amid its economic slump. Beijing should spend resources on its people, not threatening others."
On Tuesday, China announced details of a plan to turn the coastal Fujian province into an"integrated development" zone with Taiwan. State news agency Xinhua reported:"China will make Fujian Province a demonstration zone for the integrated development across the Taiwan Strait." President Xi Jinping of China at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg on August 24. His army has increased military drills around Taiwan.The circular, issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, said the move was aimed at"deepening the cross-Strait integrated development in all fields and advancing the peaceful reunification of the motherland.