China Starts Largest-Ever Military Drills Around Taiwan After Pelosi Visit

The biggest military exercise in China that surrounds Taiwan began Thursday, in a force that straddled the vital international shipping route after a visit to the island by US speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after a trip that opposed a series of striking threats from Beijing, who viewed the island that was governed by his territory.

Pelosi is the highest selected US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, and said his journey made him “clearly” that the United States will not leave a democratic allies.

It triggered a furious reaction from Beijing, who swore “punishment” and announced military training in the sea around Taiwan – some of the busiest water channels in the world.

The exercise, which began around 12 noon (0400 GMT), involved “direct shooting”, according to government media.

“The six main areas around the island have been chosen for actual combat training and during this period, relevant ships and aircraft should not enter relevant waters and airspace,” reported CCTV CCTV CCTV.

The exercise will take place in several zones around Taiwan – at a few points in only 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the beach – and will end at midday on Sunday.

The Taiwan Ministry of Defense said he was overseeing training.

“The National Defense Ministry stressed that they would uphold the principle of preparing war without seeking war, and with an attitude of not increasing conflict and causing disputes,” he said in a statement.

The Global Times tabloid managed by Beijing Nationalist State said, quoting military analysts, that the exercise was “never before” and that the missile would fly over Taiwan for the first time.

“This is the first time PLA will launch a direct long -distance artillery throughout the Taiwan Strait, the newspaper said that it used the formal name of the Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army.

The group of seven industrialized countries had condemned training, said in a statement that “there is no justification for using visits as an excuse for aggressive military activities in the Taiwan Strait”.

‘Preparation for actual combat’

The Maritime Bureau and the Port of Taiwan issued a warning on Wednesday for ships to avoid the area used for Chinese training.

The Taiwan Cabinet said the exercise would interfere with 18 international routes that passed the flight information area (FIR).

Hong Kong Cathay Pacific’s carrier said that he had ordered his aircraft to “avoid through the airspace zone specified around the Taiwan region”.

The maneuver will take place along several busiest shipping routes on this planet, which are used to supply vital semiconductors and electronic equipment produced at the center of the East Asian factory to the global market.

Beijing has maintained training as “necessary and fair”, blaming escalation in the United States and its allies.

“In the current struggle about the PelSi visit in Taiwan, the United States is a provocateur, China is a victim,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hua Chunying told regular briefing Wednesday.

The Chinese military source also told AFP that the exercise would be staged “in preparation for the actual battle”.

“If Taiwan’s troops are in contact with PLA intentionally and accidentally firing weapons, PLA will take a strong reply, and all the consequences will be borne by Taiwan,” said the source.

‘Some limits’

23 million Taiwan have long lived with the possibility of invasion, but the threat has increased under President Xi Jinping, the most strict Chinese ruler in one generation.

The island is once again a flame point between the United States and the Chinese leadership who wants to project the power ahead of the meeting of the ruling party that is important in which XI is expected to be given a third term that has never happened before.

On the mainland, in a place that is said to be the closest point of China to Taiwan, AFP saw a number of five military helicopters flying at a relatively low altitude near the popular tourist attractions.

“The Chinese military exercise announced is a clear escalation from the basis of Chinese military activities around Taiwan and from the last Taiwan Strait crisis in 1995-1996,” said Amanda Hsiao, senior analyst for China at the International Crisis Group.

“Beijing indicates that he refused Taiwan’s sovereignty.”

However, analysts told AFP that China did not aim to improve situations beyond control – at least for now.

Titus Chen, a professor of political science at Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan, said: “The last thing Xi wants is an unintentional war.”