China announced on Monday (15) new military exercises near Taiwan in retaliation for the arrival of a delegation of US congressmen in the province that Beijing considers part of its territory.
The Chinese military unit responsible for the area, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, said it had organized joint combat readiness patrols and exercises in the seas and airspace around the island. According to officials, the maneuvers were a strong deterrent against the United States and Taiwan for “continuing to play political tricks.”
Taipei said 15 Chinese aircraft had crossed the median line of the strait – an unofficial barrier between the two territories – adding that it condemned the new exercises and would face them “calmly”.
In a statement, China’s Defense Ministry called the lawmakers’ trip a violation of Chinese sovereignty, exposing what it called the true face of the US as a destroyer of peace and stability in the strait.
“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army continues to train and prepare for war, resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will resolutely crush any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatism and foreign interference.”
This Sunday (14), a delegation made up of five US congressmen arrived in Taiwan to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other local officials.
The trip comes at a time when tensions between Washington and Beijing have grown exponentially after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed on the island in early August — in what Beijing saw as an affront and triggered record-breaking military rallies. For five days, the army sent warships, missiles and fighter planes, simulating a blockade of the island.
Just announced Sunday night, the delegation’s visit is being led by Democratic Senator Ed Markey, accompanied by four House lawmakers. According to the Washington representation in Taipei, the purpose of the trip is to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade, climate change and other issues of mutual interest. The stopover would be part of a larger trip to the Indo-Pacific region.
On Monday, Tsai met with the Americans in his office and said that China’s exercises had greatly affected regional peace and stability. “We are engaged in close cooperation with international allies to closely monitor the military situation. At the same time, we are doing everything we can to let the world know that Taiwan is determined to safeguard the stability and status quo in the Taiwan Strait.” said.
The president added that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrated the threat that authoritarian states pose to the world order, and thanked Washington for its support in the face of Chinese military threats.
During the meeting, Markey said the US has a moral obligation to do everything possible to avoid unnecessary conflict, adding that Taiwan has shown incredible restraint and discretion during difficult times.
Unlike Pelosi’s trip — which was met with ballistic missile tests and prompted Beijing to end cooperation with Washington on a number of issues — the US delegation’s visit was more discreet. Tsai’s meeting with lawmakers, for example, was not broadcast live on official social media, which is the practice when high-profile foreign guests are received.
The images of the meeting at the presidential office, by the way, were only released after the congressmen left the island in the late afternoon (local time) of this Monday.
According to Washington’s diplomatic representation in Taipei, lawmakers also met with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and members of the parliament’s defense and foreign affairs committee. “The delegation had the opportunity to exchange views with Taiwanese colleagues on a wide range of issues of importance to the United States and Taiwan,” he said.
On Twitter, Wu said China cannot dictate how Taiwan makes friends. A similar response was given by Taiwan’s Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang, saying that he would not be deterred by the Chinese response to foreign visits. “We shouldn’t be afraid to do anything, afraid to let visitors in and afraid to let our friends in, just because we have an evil neighbor next door,” he declared.
Beijing has never ruled out using force to bring the province under its control. However, Taipei says that China has never ruled the island and therefore has no right to claim it.
