Taiwan and Borrell condemn China’s aggression but Xi Jinping begins massive military maneuvers

The head of European diplomacy Joseph Borrell condemned China’s “targeted military exercises” around Taiwan, noting that the US President’s visit Nancy Pelosi on the island not a valid reason. “There is no justification for using a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait,” he wrote. Borrell on Twitter. “It is normal and routine for lawmakers in our countries to travel abroad. We encourage all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and act transparently,” Borrell added, to Phnom Penh for ASEAN.

China’s response: “Our internal affairs”. Minister of Foreign Affairs: “A manic action”

Taiwan it does not represent a “regional” issue but an internal affair of the Chinese: this was announced by the Taiwan Affairs Office based in Beijing, explaining in the context of growing tensions following the visit of Hairy, that the punishment of Taiwanese independence supporters and outside forces is reasonable and legitimate. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking at the ASean meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, again condemned President Pelosi’s visit, calling it “maniacal, irresponsible and highly irrational” action. ” the United States. Wang – as reported by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV – said China had made the best diplomatic effort to avert the crisis, but “will never allow its core interests to be harmed”.

The biggest military exercises ever

China launched, at 12 p.m. local (6 a.m. in Italy), the largest military exercises ever conducted around Taiwan in a crescendo of tensions in response to the visit to the island of US President Nancy Pelosi. Official media recall that these are “large-scale military maneuvers and training” which include live artillery and missile fire in six maritime zones prohibited from navigation and overflight, in a standoff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Other areas border the territorial and internal waters of Taiwan, as well as the exclusive economic zone of Japan.

Taiwan, prepare for war but don’t seek war

Taiwan’s armed forces are “operating as usual and monitoring our surroundings in response to the irrational activities” of the People’s Republic of China “with the aim of changing the status quo and destabilizing the security of the region.” This was stated in a ntoa by the Taipei Defense Ministry at the start of large-scale Chinese military maneuvers around the island. “We do not seek escalation, but we do not stand still when it comes to our security and sovereignty. We will uphold the principle of preparing for war without seeking war and with the attitude of ‘ not to aggravate conflicts and not to cause controversy'”.

Unidentified aircraft in the Kinmen area

Unidentified planes, probably drones, flew over the area of ​​the island this evening Kinmen, just off the southeastern coast of China: the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense reported, adding that it fired rockets to chase them away. Taiwan on high alert as China conducts a series of military exercises in response to the visit of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

Asean, tensions could lead to conflicts

The foreign ministers of ASEAN, the 10 Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), warned that the situation of growing tension around Taiwan could trigger “open conflicts”. , as China prepares to hold large-scale “targeted military maneuvers” around the island. The ministers, in a joint statement, said the situation “could destabilize the region and could possibly lead to miscalculations, serious confrontations, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences between the major powers”.

President of Taiwan: Thanks to the G7 for supporting peace

“Thank you to the G7 for supporting peace and stability in the region. Taiwan determined to defend the status quo and our hard-won democracy. We will work with like-minded partners to keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open, Taiwanese president writes on Twitter Tsai Ing-wen.