Metropolis Desk-
As a “stern warning,” China conducted military exercises surrounding Taiwan on Saturday after complaining about William Lai, the vice president of the island, visiting the United States.
Taiwan asserted that the people of its islands will stand their ground against Chinese forces without fear. Taiwan officials said that as China is a sovereign nation with the freedom to forge alliances with other nations, it should stop using force and instead turn to negotiation.
On a trip to Paraguay, one of the diminishing numbers of countries that diplomatically recognize Taipei, Lai, the front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential election next year, stopped in New York before traveling back through San Francisco.
Lai has been referred to as a “troublemaker” by China, which has threatened to take “resolute and forceful measures to safeguard national sovereignty.”
Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command “launched joint air and sea patrols and military exercises of the navy and air force around the island of Taiwan,” according to military spokeswoman Shi Yi, as reported by state media outlet Xinhua.
The drills, according to Xinhua, were designed to assess the PLA’s capacity “to seize control of air and sea spaces” and engage in combat “in real combat conditions.”
They were also meant to be “a stern warning to the collusion of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists with foreign elements and their provocations,” the statement continued.
China claims Taiwan and hasn’t ruled out occupying it militarily.
Major military drills were started after President Tsai Ing-wen met with key US politicians while passing through the US last year and after Nancy Pelosi, the then-Speaker of the House, visited Taiwan.
Lai’s transit had been referred to as regular by Washington, which had asked for calm.
Source- Arab News
