China has published an ominous Lunar New Year video message to Taiwan, showing its fighter jets and bombers flying over the self-ruled island.
The propaganda film, released by The People's Liberation Army video on Sunday, was titled 'My War Eagles Fly Around Formosa' - an old name for Taiwan. Lyrics of the song call for 'Brothers and sisters' of Taiwan to 'return [and] reunite'.
The three-and-a-half-minute clip, released ahead of Chinese New year, also features the official badge of the Chinese air force against a shot of Taiwan's iconic skyscraper Taipei 101, once the world's tallest building.
'My fighting eagles are flying around Taiwan, the nostalgic memory from the homeland is softly calling you to return,' the song goes.
In other shots, H-6 bombers and J-20 stealth fighters are seen flying over Taiwan, while footage of other famous locations on the island, like Sun Moon Lake and Ali Mountain are also shown.
China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war in 1949.
Relations between Taipei and Beijing have had a rocky start to 2019 after Xi Jinping delivered a bellicose speech last month describing the island's unification with the mainland as 'inevitable'.
Beijing has said it will not hesitate to use force if Taipei formally declares independence, or in the case of external intervention - including by the United States, Taiwan's strongest ally.
In response, the defence ministry in Taipei on Monday released a 90-second video named 'Freedom Isn't Free' that features clips from last year's military exercises.
'This approach aims at reunifying Taiwan with force and will only have counterproductive results as Taiwanese will find it repulsive and distasteful,' the Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement on Facebook.
The video includes images of missile launches and drills involving its ground, air and naval forces, while an accompanying message says Taiwan's military is always ready for combat, even during the Lunar New Year holiday.
'Many men and women serving in the armed forces will miss New Year's Eve dinners with their families, but they will not be absent from standing on guards to protect the country,' the ministry added.
Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen used her social media accounts to deliver a political sideswipe at Beijing with a message highlighting the island's democratic credentials and linguistic pluralism.
'Those in places lacking democracy may not understand this commitment. We hope that ethnic Chinese all over the world can experience this blessing,' she said, without directly mentioning China.
'So, I want to make three new year’s wishes for our ethnic Chinese friends both at home and abroad. I hope that you may all enjoy democracy, freedom and continued prosperity,' she added.
Taiwan is gearing up for presidential elections early next year. Tsai's party suffered heavy losses to the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang in mayoral and local elections in November.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
