Global concern over China’s military high schools in Taiwan: May lead to ‘open conflicts’

August 4, 2022

Robert

In their joint statement, the ASEAN foreign ministers pointed out that they may have unforeseen consequences for the major powers.

The situation in Taiwan may lead to “open fractures”warned today foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)who met in Phnom Penh, expressing “concern” about large-scale military high schools who announced that the Chinese army would be held around the island.

“ASEAN is concerned about international and regional instability, especially recent developments in the region (…) which may lead to miscalculations, serious conflict, open conflicts with unforeseen consequences for the major powers“, emphasized the heads of diplomacy of the Association in the joint announcement they made public.

Cambodia, the country that currently holds the rotating presidency of ASEAN, called on all parties to opt for a de-escalation of tensions.

In the meantime, the head of the diplomacy of the European Union, Mr Joseph Borelsentenced her today China’s “aggressive activity” in the Taiwan Straitjudging that it does not exist “no excuse” for her and characterizing “pretext” from Beijing’s side, the visit of the president of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosiin Taipei.

“It is normal and usual for parliamentarians of our countries to travel abroad“, Mr. Borrell added via Twitter from Phnom Penh, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

There is no justification to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait. It is normal and routine for legislators from our countries to travel internationally.

We encourage all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, act with transparency. https://t.co/b760G8L0J4

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) August 4, 2022

The US reaction

China’s choice to hold military gymnasiums around Taiwan after US House speaker visits island does not show “responsibility”as the situation could be extractedJoe Biden’s national security adviser, Mr Jake Sullivan.

“When a military conducts a series of activities, including (…) missile tests and live-fire drills (…) the possibility of an incident is real,” Mr. Sullivan said during an interview with NPR public radio. “We believe that what China is doing is not responsible.”the White House national security adviser continued.

China’s military will hold its biggest military drills in decades around Taiwan today, in a show of force after Pelosi’s visit to the island sparked anger in Beijing.

Mr. Sullivan invited China “act in a responsible manner and avoid any kind of escalation that could lead to miscalculation or miscalculation in the airs or seas.’

High schools “increasing tensions in the (Taiwan) strait”“, he insisted.

Nancy Pelosi, who left the island yesterday, was the most senior US official to visit Taipei in 25 years.

Asserting that she went “peacefully” to the region as a “friend”, the 82-year-old speaker of the House of Representatives also declared that the US would not abandon Taiwan, which has its own democratically elected government and lives under the constant threat of invasion by the Chinese army.

Today’s drills will be held in a series of fields around Taiwan — in some cases just 20 kilometers from its shores — and will last until noon on Sunday.

Taiwanese authorities announced yesterday that more 27 Chinese military aircraftcompared to 21 the previous day, interfered in the air defense identification zone (or ADIZ, from the acronym of the term air defense identification zone in English), which is however much wider than the island’s airspace.

For their part, Taiwan’s armed forces said that “are determined to support our sovereignty, freedom and democracy” in a statement released alongside a video of fighter jets, submarines, attack helicopters and warships on maneuvers.

It is noted that China’s drills will include joint air and sea exercises in the north, southwest and northeast of Taiwan, long-range firing in the Taiwan Strait and missile tests in the sea east of the island, the military said.