diplomacy
Before Baerbock’s visit: China continues to put pressure on Taiwan
China’s military muscle flexing overshadows the first visit by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to the People’s Republic. photo
©Virginia Mayo/AP
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is expected in the Chinese port city of Tianjin and in Beijing today and tomorrow. It is likely to be one of the trickiest trips of her tenure so far.
With increased deployments of its warships and aircraft near Taiwan, China is maintaining military pressure on the democratic island republic.
Even after the end of three-day major maneuvers on Monday, 26 aircraft and seven naval ships were discovered again within one day until this morning, the Ministry of Defense in Taipei reported. 14 of the planes crossed the previously respected unofficial center line in the Taiwan Strait Straits and entered Taiwan’s Air Surveillance Zone (ADIZ).
China’s military muscle flexing, which serves to intimidate Taiwan and warn against independence efforts, overshadows the first visit by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to China. The Green Party politician’s agenda today includes a visit to the port city of Tianjin, an hour’s drive from Beijing, and political talks in the Chinese capital tomorrow. Before the departure, Baerbock warned of a “horror scenario of a military escalation in the Taiwan Strait, through which 50 percent of world trade flows every day”.
Tensions with China over Taiwan have recently increased. Beijing regards the island as part of the People’s Republic and threatens to conquer it. However, Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million today, has had an independent government for more than 70 years.
In response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US and her meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, China had held large-scale maneuvers to underline its claim to power. A record number of 91 aircraft and 12 warships were observed on one day.
Ministry of Defense in Taipei on Twitter