On 21st Oct, China’s Fujian Pingtan Maritime Safety Bureau announced that a live-fire shooting will be held in Niushan Island, a no-navigation zone was set up. Tawian’s Ministry of National Defense responsed earlier today (22nd), the live-fire firing was a routine exercise, which will be closely monitored and appropriately handled.
The Pingtan Maritime Safety Bureau of Fujian Province suddenly issued a navigation warning on the 21st and said that it would carry out live firing on Niushan Island off the coast of Pingtan County, Fuzhou City from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the 22nd, and no ships would be allowed to enter the exercise area during the period. Niushan Island is the closest island in China to Taiwan’s main island, about 165 kilometers away from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and there is a Niushan Island lighthouse on the island, which is an important navigation aid for ships entering and leaving the Taiwan Strait.
In response to the announcement of the Pingtan Maritime Safety Bureau of China, Taiwan’s defense department issued a response on the 22nd, regarding the establishment of a no-navigation zone off the coast of Niushan Island for live firing, it is understood that this activity is one of the annual routine exercises of the People’s Liberation Army, but the defense department will use the joint intelligence monitoring and investigation system to closely grasp and analyze its military activities and intentions; It cannot be ruled out that his behavior is one of the ways to expand the deterrent effect in light of the dynamics in the Taiwan Strait.
中國福建平潭海事局於21日發布公告，將在牛山島沿海劃定禁航區進行實彈射擊。台灣國防部在22日稍早回應表示，此次實彈射擊屬於例行演訓，將進行嚴密監控並妥善應對。
平潭海事局於21日突然發出「航行警告」，指出將於22日上午9點至下午1點，在福州市平潭縣的牛山島進行實彈射擊，期間禁止任何船舶進入演習區域。牛山島是中國距離台灣本島最近的島嶼，與台北市的直線距離約165公里，島上設有牛山島燈塔，對於船舶進出台灣海峽具有重要的導航意義。
針對平潭海事局的公告，國防部在22日發表回應，指出牛山島沿海的禁航區實彈射擊活動是共軍年度例行演訓之一。國防部將利用聯合情監偵系統密切監控並分析其軍事活動及意圖，並不排除此舉是為了配合台海局勢，擴大威懾效果的策略之一。
