Taiwan’s Defense Ministry accused the Chinese military of simulating air and naval attacks on the island on Saturday 6, as another Beijing retaliation for the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“Several Communist planes and ships were detected carrying out activities around the Taiwan Strait (…). The exercises were considered a simulated attack on the main island of Taiwan,” the Taiwanese government reported.
In response to the simulation, the local military claims to have issued a warning and deployed aerial reconnaissance forces, ships and ground-based missile launchers to address the situation.
Chinese forces released videos and photos of the military exercises, as well as the approach to the island. The CCTV of Chinese state television even reported that the missiles flew directly into Taiwan during the exercises, which has not been confirmed.
“In the waters around the island of Taiwan, more than 10 destroyers (warship-type) and escort marines from the Eastern Command approached from different directions to carry out containment operations,” the Chinese Army Eastern Command said. which also reports a shooting exercise in the south of the Yellow Sea – located between China and the Korean peninsula – from Saturday 15 August.
The controversial visit of Pelosi
Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week angered Chinese leaders, who said the high-level delegation was a violation of China’s territorial rights and a deliberate provocation amid deteriorating US-China relations. In response, Chinese authorities have announced military exercises in six areas around Taiwan, denouncing “sea and air blockades”.
The Communist Party of China has never ruled Taiwan, but Beijing claims the region of 23 million people is an inalienable part of its territory and threatens to take it by force.
The White House has urged China not to overdo it, saying Pelosi’s trip has not marked any change in US policy. But the Chinese military exercises, scheduled until Sunday, represent Beijing’s efforts to establish a new normal for its rival’s invasion. (* With information from international agencies)
Source: Terra
