Taiwan’s Tsai thanks troops after China military maneuvers

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has thanked navy and army personnel for their service defending the island, after China sent a record-breaking number of warplanes and ships toward Taiwan this week. Tsai, addressing the Taiwanese Navy’s 146th Fleet at a naval base on Penghu Island on Friday, said the military maneuvers by China earlier in the week were the largest to date this year. Tsai said: “Taiwan is on the frontlines of democracy. Only if we are prepared for war can we avoid war.” On Tuesday, she announced the extension of compulsory military service from four months to one year starting in 2024.