China has reported on the continuation of military exercises around Taiwan, during which they will practice the operations of "joint defense and joint blockade of the island."
The South China Morning Post writes about it.
The exercises will continue in the waters and airspace around Taiwan. China did not specify when exactly they will end. Beijingʼs Maritime Safety Administration also issued a navigational warning restricting entry into the islandʼs eastern waters in the South China Sea from 08:00 to 18:00 for three days starting today, August 9, when the firing drills begin.
Taiwanʼs Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the move, saying China was deliberately creating a crisis: "In the face of military intimidation created by China, Taiwan will not be afraid and retreat, but will more resolutely defend its sovereignty, national security and free and democratic way of life."
US President Joe Biden reacted to these exercises and expressed hope that China would not cross the border.
- On August 3, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan for an official one-day visit. She became the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. In protest, China imposed sanctions on Pelosi and began four days of exercises. After these exercises, he announced new ones and declared that they would be "regular" from now on. Taiwan said the latest drills were like a "rehearsal for taking over the island".
- Taiwan is a large island separated from mainland China by a strait. Taiwan declared its separation from China during the civil war in the region in 1949. Until 1971, Taiwan was the internationally recognized representative of China in the United Nations. Then most countries began to establish relations with Beijing and recognized its jurisdiction over Taiwan. Currently, the island state maintains diplomatic relations with only 15 countries, including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Belize, Nicaragua, and only the Vatican from European countries. In January 2021, the United States of America decided to lift internal restrictions on cooperation with Taiwan. China considers Taiwan its territory and hints at a possible military conquest of the island. The Taiwanese army will not be able to stand up to the Chinese army on its own, so the Taiwanese authorities are hoping for the quick protection of the US army. However, the participation of the Americans is not guaranteed.