China Carries Out Live Fire Military Drills|不受中國旅遊禁令壓迫 帛琉決停飛中國

Palau has maintained diplomatic ties with the Republic of China despite pressure from China, which last year issued a travel ban to Palau. Since then, Palau's tourism industry has suffered, and now Palau Pacific Airways has announced it will no longer fly to China. In other cross-strait news, the People's Liberation Army is conducting live ammunition exercises in the East China Sea between July 18 and 23. The Chinese media has reported if the range of the exercises is translated, it would cover all of Taiwan.


The Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted live ammunition exercises in the waters off of Zhejiang Province in April. Recently, China's Maritime Safety Administration announced routine live ammunition exercises will take place between nine coordinates in the East China Sea between 8 a.m. on July 18 and 6 p.m. on July 23. The area covered by the drill stretches from Zhejiang's Xiangshan County and Taizhou to Cangnan County. This area is approximately the size of Taiwan. China's state-run Global Times newspaper has reported that if the drill zone were to be pushed forward, it would basically cover the entire island of Taiwan.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army is conducting annual, routine exercises in the waters off of Zhejiang. They correspond with the information reported by the government media. I think this is a typical case of saber rattling. Everyone can easily see who the troublemaker in our region is.

The Ministry of National Defense urged the public not to respond to China's saber rattling. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council added it hopes Beijing will show some self-restraint, and refrain from provoking tensions in the region and destroying the current cross-strait peace. In other cross-strait news, China issued a travel ban to Palau in November last year with the aim of pressuring it to sever diplomatic ties with the Republic of China. Palauan President Thomas Remengesau has refused to give in, and the number of Chinese tourists visiting Palau has fallen by 16 percent. This has forced Palau Pacific Airways to stop flying to China. The airline's parent company Sea Passion Group last week told Palau's national congress that it will stop flying to China.

China is using bullying and different diplomatic tactics to suppress Palau. They have responded with courage, and we are full of admiration and gratitude. From the position of a staunch ally, we will, within our capabilities, encourage our people to travel there.

China is Palau's largest tourist source. Last year, the country received 120,000 tourists, with Chinese tourists accounting for half of that number. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended Palau for not yielding to Chinese pressure. Taiwan's domestic airlines fly to Palau twice a week and two direct flights were added in the period between June and August. The ministry encourages the public to travel to Palau and support its tourism industry.