Taipei: Taiwan has strongly condemned the 'Joint Sword-2024B' military drill around its territory by China and accused Beijing of challenging the rules-based international order and gravely undermining regional peace and stability.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has noted that China on October 14 launched its so-called Joint Sword-2024B military drill around Taiwan, once again challenging the rules-based international order and gravely undermining regional peace and stability. MOFA strongly condemns China and urges it to pull back and immediately cease its military provocations," Taiwan's Foreign Ministry stated.

In his National Day address, President Lai Ching-te expressed goodwill to China and called for it to act responsibly and work with Taiwan to maintain the prevailing state of peace, stability, and prosperity.

However, China remains "determined to intimidate the people of Taiwan" through military exercises and is attempting to threaten Taiwan's democracy and unilaterally disrupt the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region.

"MOFA solemnly denounces China and urges it to neither use false pretexts aimed at justifying disagreement and strife nor become a troublemaker that undermines regional peace and stability," it added.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry also called on other nations to recognize China's "authoritarian and expansionist nature," and take concrete actions to support democratic Taiwan at this critical moment. It also urged them to unite in defending the values of freedom and democracy, and safeguard the rules-based international order, as well as the freedom, openness, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Earlier in the day, China launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan on Monday, simulating strikes on sea and land targets, The Washington Post reported. China's action comes just days after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te used a National Day speech to defend the island's democracy and way of life.

Command spokesman Li Xi stated that the exercises launched by China would "test the joint operations capabilities" of the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command and would serve as "a stern warning to the separatist acts of 'Taiwan independence' forces".

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