Conflicts: China’s military provokes Taiwan

conflicts
China’s military provokes Taiwan

China has continued its large-scale maneuvers around democratic Taiwan. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu condemned “this dangerous military escalation in the military threat that is destroying peace and stability in the region.”

During the maneuvers, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army “simulated” an attack on the island, according to the Taiwanese military. According to the Defense Ministry in Taipei, numerous military aircraft and warships were operating near Taiwan. Some of them would have crossed the unofficial but mostly mutually respected median line in the Taiwan Straits Straits separating the mainland and the island.

In response, Taiwan’s military has dispatched planes, radioed warnings and mobilized anti-missile defense systems to pursue the Chinese military planes.

The US criticized the Chinese reaction to the visit of US leader Nancy Pelosi as “irresponsible”. The fact that China had even suspended the dialogue with the USA on climate protection met with international shakes.

Blinken: China uses Pelosi visit as excuse

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accused China of using Pelosi’s visit to escalate tensions over the democratic island. Beijing has already carried out “increasingly destabilizing and potentially dangerous actions in relation to Taiwan in recent years,” said Blinken during a visit to the Philippines. Changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait straits comes from Beijing, not the United States, Blinken said, referring to Chinese missile tests and military exercises near Taiwan.

Blinken spoke of a “total mismatch” between Pelosi’s peaceful visit and China’s escalating military maneuvers. Among other things, Beijing shot down 11 ballistic missiles, including five that Japan said landed in the sea very close to the Japanese coast. Blinken had already sharply criticized China’s behavior at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian state association Asean in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh in the past few days.

Warning to Tokyo

Chinese military planes, drones and warships continued to test Taiwan’s armed forces. On the previous day alone, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army had sent a “record number” of 68 military machines and 13 naval ships into waters near the democratic island republic, as reported by the Foreign Ministry in Taipei. Many of them also crossed the unofficial, but so far most respected by both sides, center line of the Taiwan Strait Straits separating the mainland and Taiwan.

During the maneuvers, China also launched 11 ballistic missiles in the direction of Taiwan, one of which, according to reports, even flew directly over Taiwan and not far from the capital Taipei for the first time. Five landed east of Taiwan in nearby Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which was also taken as a warning to Tokyo to stay out of the conflict.

China had started the maneuvers announced by Sunday in response to the visit of US House Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan. It was the highest-ranking visit from the United States in a quarter of a century. China is angry because it claims Taiwan as its own. It sees the island as part of the People’s Republic and vehemently rejects official contacts with other countries. However, the island has long seen itself as independent.

Dialogue with US suspended

The military exercises aim at a sea and air blockade and serve to prepare for a possible invasion. As a further reaction, China suspended dialogue with the US on climate protection and through various military channels. Cooperation such as in the fight against crime, drugs and the repatriation of people who have entered the country illegally have been completely eliminated. Additionally, Beijing imposed unspecified sanctions on Pelosi and even immediate family members. China’s leadership accuses her of “seriously interfering in internal affairs.”

dpa