China is preparing to launch military maneuvers near the coast of Taiwan on Thursday, in retaliation for the visit of the speaker of the American House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Even if American officials visit the island regularly, China considers that this visit by the third figure of the American state is a major provocation. And she is therefore preparing to make a show of force in return.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said the island “wouldn’t back down” in the face of the threat from China and the heads of diplomacy of the seven richest countries in the world (G7) have estimated that “the answer in the form of escalation” from Beijing “risk of increasing tensions and destabilizing the region”.
“In the face of deliberately increased military threats, Taiwan will not back down.”
Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan
Nancy Pelosi’s stay has sparked the ire of Beijing, which considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and vehemently opposes any form of international recognition of the island. “Those who offend China will be punished”, promised Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Chinese Ministry of Defense has promised “targeted military actions”with a series of military maneuvers around the island, including “long range live ammunition shooting” in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the archipelago from mainland China.
These exercises “constitute a necessary and legitimate measure to respond to the serious provocations of certain American politicians and Taiwanese separatists”Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters.
According to the coordinates published by the Chinese army, part of the military operations must take place 20 kilometers from the coast of Taiwan. “Some of China’s maneuver areas encroach on (…) Taiwan’s territorial waters”said Taiwan Defense Ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang. Japan also said “concerned” by the Chinese exercises, claiming that some would encroach on its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
But Beijing has already issued a warning. China “will respond vigorously” if the Taiwanese military seeks to disrupt its military exercises, said an unnamed source within the Chinese military. “If the Taiwanese forces voluntarily come into contact with (the Chinese army) and accidentally fire a shot, (the Chinese army) will retaliate vigorously and it will be up to the Taiwanese side to bear all the consequences.”she clarified.
Taiwanese authorities, meanwhile, also reported that 27 new Chinese military planes, down from 21 the previous day, entered the island’s air defense identification zone (“Adiz”) on Wednesday – which designates an area much larger wider than Taiwanese airspace proper.