China has strongly condemned the visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. China had earlier warned that the US would “pay the price” for the House Speaker’s visit.
Pelosi arrived in Taiwan late on Tuesday night. The visit has heightened the risk of major crises between China and the US, which does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state. However, it is still required by United States law to provide the government of an island nation with the means to defend itself.
“Forty-three years ago, America made a promise to always stand with Taiwan… Today our delegation came to Taiwan to make it unequivocally clear we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan,” Nancy Pelosi said while referring to the Taiwan Relations Act. (BBC)
In the meeting at the presidential office with Ms. Tsai, Ms. Pelosi said that “the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy. America’s decision to preserve democracy here in Taiwan remains iron-clad. “
Chinese military jets were reported to have edged into the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. Furthermore, four US naval ships, including one aircraft carrier, were deployed in the waters east of Taiwan before Pelosi’s arrival.
As Aljazeera reported, on Wednesday, Taiwan said that the drills conducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) violated the rules of the United Nations, invaded its territorial space, and amounted to a blockade of its air and sea.
The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan mentioned in a tweet, “The People’s Republic of China announcing air-naval live-fire drills around Taiwan is self-evidently apparent that they seek a cross-strait resolution by force instead of by peaceful means.”
As the Global Times reported, the exercises would be larger in comparison to what took place in 1996 in the run-up to the re-election of President Lee Teng-hui.
Current scenario
Following the meeting with Taiwan’s leaders in the capital, Taipei, the most senior American politician has departed.
The Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, said in a statement that “those who play with fire will not come to a good end, and those who offend China will be punished.”
“The United States is violating China’s sovereignty under the guise of so-called democracy,” he added.