The Chinese navy and air force drills are seen as a direct response to the visit by Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years
Chinese military exercises near Taiwan violate the island’s territory and amount to a blockade of its sea and airspace, the Ministry of Defense said, according to “Sky News”.
The Chinese navy and air force exercises are seen as a direct response to a visit to Taiwan by top US politician Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said China violated UN rules and would counter any invasion of its territory. It said the live-fire drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan “endanger international shipping lanes, challenge the international order, undermine the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and endanger the region.” He accused Beijing of psychological warfare, urging citizens to report “fake news” to the authorities.
Ms Pelosi had earlier praised Taiwan for being “one of the freest societies in the world” as she addressed the self-ruled island’s parliament during a visit that angered Beijing. Nancy Pelosi also met with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, in the capital, Taipei.
Tsai Ing-wen said that Taiwan is a reliable partner of the United States and will continue to work with them to strengthen cooperation in security, economic development and supply chains.
Nancy Pelosi’s surprise visit to Taiwan drew sharp criticism from China and prompted Beijing to recall the US ambassador. Ms. Pelosi arrived in Taipei late Tuesday in an unannounced but carefully planned trip she said showed the unwavering US commitment to the island that Beijing says is part of China.
“We praise Taiwan for being one of the freest societies in the world,” Ms. Pelosi told Taiwan’s parliament.
He also said that new US legislation aimed at strengthening the US chip industry to compete with China “offers greater opportunities for US-Taiwan economic cooperation”.
Incredible footage of people cheering the arrival of @SpeakerPelosi‘s jet in Taiwan earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/d6qT66760K
— Samson Ellis (@samsonellis) August 2, 2022
A long-time critic of China, particularly on human rights, Ms Pelosi is reportedly set to meet with a former Tiananmen Square activist, a Hong Kong bookseller who had been arrested by China and a Taiwanese activist recently freed by China.
While Ms Pelosi is not the first House speaker to go to Taiwan – Newt Gingrich visited in 1997 – her visit comes as relations between Beijing and Washington have soured sharply, and with China a much more powerful economic, military and geopolitical power than it was a quarter of a century ago.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never given up using force to bring it under its control.
The United States has warned China not to use Ms. Pelosi’s visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.
Early Wednesday morning, China’s customs announced the suspension of imports of citrus fruits, frozen white striped bass and frozen mackerel from Taiwan.
On Tuesday, Beijing’s ambassador to London, one of his country’s most senior diplomats, warned the United States that it was running an “extremely dangerous trick” on Taiwan and that “those who play with fire will get burned.”
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