US House Speaker, Nany Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has led to the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to begin its largest ever military exercises and has raised tensions to the highest levels.
Pelosi has become the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims to be its property.
The visit of US official to China would indicate US support for Taiwan’s independence and China is therefore angry with President Biden who had been warned of the consequences. In response, the United States says that it would not abandon a democratic ally like Taiwan.
China says that it conducted precision missile strikes in Taiwan Strait. There was live firing on the waters and in the airspace surrounding the island of Taiwan.
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Party says that China in addition to violating United Nations Rules is behaving irresponsibly. China is conducting drills in the busiest international waterways and aviation routes. The live-fire drills and other exercises around Taiwan are supposed to end on Sunday.
Relevant ships and aircrafts should not enter the six major areas around the island that have been selected for the actual combat exercise.
The Ministry of National Defence of Taiwan says that they are watching the drills closely and would uphold principle of preparing for war without seeking war and this would not cause a dispute or escalate it.
China’s Customs Department has suspended the import of citrus fruits and certain fish-chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel from Taiwan and the Commerce Ministry has imposed a ban on natural sand to Taiwan.
In retaliation to China’s attempts in Taiwanese defence zone, Taiwan has sent its jets to skies to warn away the 22 of the 27 Chinese aircrafts which had crossed the median line separating the island from China. Taiwan said that it had sent the aircrafts and deployed missile systems to see the Chinese activities into its defence identification zone of ADIZ and also fired flares to drive away suspected drones near Kinmen. Taiwan is on high alert.
The members of G7- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, United States and even the European Nations say that it is normal and routine for legislators to travel internationally and have urged China to resolve the Taiwan matter peacefully.
