TAIPEI (TVBS News) — China's escalating military pressure on Taiwan drew sharp rebuke from the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP, 民進黨) China Affairs Department on Wednesday (April 2). The department issued a forceful condemnation of what it described as Beijing's multifaceted campaign to subjugate Taiwan's population through an arsenal of coercive measures including military exercises, economic leverage, diplomatic isolation efforts, and information warfare designed to manipulate public perception.
The recent military drills were condemned by the DPP China Affairs Department as a display of "reckless militarism" that extends beyond Taiwan to impact the broader Indo-Pacific region. According to the department, China regularly employs ambiguous "gray zone" tactics that fall short of outright conflict but serve to assert dominance throughout the area. The statement pointedly referenced China's significant domestic troubles, including widespread youth unemployment and faltering performance in both consumer spending and property markets. Party officials questioned Beijing's priorities, criticizing the decision to allocate substantial resources toward military posturing rather than addressing these pressing internal economic and social challenges.
Such provocative military demonstrations, the department asserted, would ultimately harm China's own citizens while antagonizing countries throughout the region. In contrast to Beijing's aggressive posture, DPP officials emphasized their measured response through the implementation of the "17 major strategies" (國安17策), a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen Taiwan's defensive capabilities and expand its international economic relationships. This approach reflects the party's dual focus on enhancing Taiwan's resilience against external pressure while contributing constructively to regional stability and global peace.
The military exercises, conducted by China's Eastern Theater Command in the central and southern portions of the Taiwan Strait earlier on Wednesday, were officially characterized by Beijing as a response to Taiwan's independence movement. Chinese officials specifically cited President Lai Ching-te's March 25 address outlining the "17 major strategies," which included language categorizing mainland China as a "foreign hostile force." This designation appeared to particularly provoke Beijing's military response in the strategically significant waterway separating the island from the mainland.
