"People on the island have grown so accustomed to Chinese displays of power that life continues as usual. As China carried out live-fire drills and rehearsed a military blockade in the waters surrounding Taiwan this week, 70-year-old Liao said she wasn't worried about war. She was enjoying life as a retiree, playing mahjong with her friends and keeping an eye on the stock market."
"Everyday life hasn't been impacted, Liao told Al Jazeera as she was having her hair shampooed and cut in time for the new year at a salon in New Taipei City. I've lived in Taiwan for 70 years. I'm used to it. We all still have to wash our hair. We're not scared, Liao's hairstylist agreed. In fact, she hadn't even noticed that the drills were happening. Working people don't have time to pay attention to these things. All they can do is work, Liao said."
"China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, since the communists won the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and established the People's Republic of China (PRC). China says it will unify Taiwan with the PRC by force if necessary and has become increasingly assertive in its behaviour around Taiwan as its confidence in its military capabilities and prowess grows."
Chinese live-fire drills and rehearsed maritime blockades occurred around Taiwan during exercises labeled Justice Mission 2025. Many Taiwanese reported continuing normal routines, with retirees playing mahjong, monitoring markets, and getting haircuts, while working people focused on jobs. Disinformation surfaced, including a fake propaganda video depicting an aircraft near Taipei 101 that the government dismissed. China maintains a sovereignty claim over Taiwan since 1949 and states it may use force to unify the island with the PRC. Beijing's growing military confidence has led to increased assertiveness around Taiwan, and Taiwanese media and social networks circulated information quickly during the drills.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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