Defense Department says Chinese military drills intruded on Taiwan territory during Nancy Pelosi’s visit, angering Beijing | World News

China’s Ministry of National Defense said Chinese military exercises near Taiwan violated the island’s territory and sealed off its waters and space.

The exercises by China’s navy and air force are seen as a direct response to a visit to Taiwan by top US politician Nancy Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit in 25 years.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said China had violated UN rules and it would resist any encroachment into its territory.

It said the live-fire drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan had “jeopardized international shipping lanes, challenged international order, and undermined the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.” and endanger the region”.

And it accused Beijing of using psychological warfare, urging people to report “fake news” to the government.

Ms. Pelosi had earlier hailed Taiwan as “one of the freest societies in the world” when she addressed the self-ruled island’s parliament during a visit that angered Beijing.

Ms. Pelosi also met Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, in the capital Taipei on Wednesday.

Ms. Tsai thanked Ms. Pelosi for her concrete actions to support Taiwan and said the island would not back down in the face of growing military threats.

The Taiwanese leader also told Ms Pelosi that she is one of the island’s most devoted friends and thanked her for her unwavering support on the international stage.

Ms. Tsai added that Taiwan is a reliable partner of the United States and will continue to work with them to strengthen cooperation in the areas of security, economic development and supply chain.

The US speaker’s unannounced visit to Taiwan was met with fierce criticism from China and prompted Beijing to summon the US ambassador.

Pelosi arrived in Taipei late Tuesday for an unannounced but closely watched trip, saying it showed the United States’ unwavering commitment to the island, which Beijing says is part of China. Country.

“We commend Taiwan as one of the freest societies in the world.

She also said the new US law to strengthen the US chip industry to compete with China “provides greater opportunities for US-Taiwan economic cooperation”.

A longtime critic of China, especially on human rights, Ms. Pelosi is expected to meet a former activist in Tiananmen Square, a Hong Kong bookseller once detained by China, and A Taiwanese activist has just been released by China.

While Ms. Pelosi is not the first speaker to visit Taiwan – Newt Gingrich visited in 1997 – her visit comes as relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated significantly, and with China a force economic, military and geopolitical forces are much stronger than they were a quarter of a century ago.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

The US has warned China not to use Ms. Pelosi’s visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.

Earlier on Wednesday, China’s Customs Department announced that it was suspending the import of citrus fruits, chilled white striped fish and frozen horse mackerel from Taiwan.

Read more:
China warns US ‘those who play with fire will get burned’ when Nancy Pelosi visits self-ruled island

On Tuesday, Beijing’s ambassador to London, one of his country’s most senior diplomats, warned the United States was carrying out an “extremely dangerous maneuver” against Taiwan and its “adversaries”. fire will burn.”

Zheng Zeguang made the comments during a press conference, hastily convened, in response to Ms. Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan despite China’s request to stay away.

He said the visit was a “serious violation” of the longstanding “one China” principle that democratically administered Taiwan is not treated as an independent body by the United States.

Mr Zheng has also warned the UK not to “dance to the tune” of the US.