As Beijing conducted military exercises in and around the Taiwan Strait on August 7, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry claimed to have spotted 14 warships and 66 aircraft arriving from China. In response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China conducted military exercises near Taiwan.
14 PLAN ships and 66 PLA aircraft around our surrounding area were detected today as of 1700 (GMT+8). #ROCARmedForces monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in the CAP, warships and land-based missile systems. pic.twitter.com/O7hjVAaCaJ
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) August 7, 2022
In addition, the state-sponsored news agency, world timesposted a video online with the caption, “On-site footage of PLA exercises around the island of Taiwan. Highlights included more than 100 combat aircraft being deployed, China’s next-generation aerial tanker YU-20 was unveiled and more than ten destroyers and frigates conducting a joint blockade exercise.”
While China was urged to immediately halt its military exercises, the United States, Australia and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The two sides are arguing over whether the Chinese destroyer Nanjing passed within 12 kilometers of Taiwan.
Taiwan’s military information service denied the incident, saying, “ROCNavy denounces such misinformation.” On Twitter, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense wrote, “PRC media reports claim destroyer PLAN Nanjing was found 11.78 km from Hoping Power Station in Hualien. #ROCNavy calls out such misinformation No PLAN ships have entered our territorial waters since August 4, when the PLA exercise began.”
PRC media reports claim that the destroyer PLAN Nanjing was found 11.78 km from Hoping Power Station in Hualien. #ROCNavvy denounces such misinformation. No PLAN vessel has entered our territorial waters since August 4, when the PLA exercise began.
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) August 7, 2022
China-Taiwan conflict
Also, in response to the Chinese drills, the Taiwanese military will conduct live-fire artillery drills in southern Pingtung County on August 9 and 11, according to the Taiwanese official. Central News Agency. In addition, the exercises will include snipers, combat vehicles, armored vehicles and attack helicopters, according to PAciting an anonymous source.
Meanwhile, Chinese diplomats continue to point fingers at the United States, saying Washington is responsible for the unrest in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying accused the United States of interfering in Beijing’s internal affairs on August 5. Chunying went on to say that the United States should have canceled Nancy Pelosi’s recent trip to Taiwan.
“The United States should stop trying to undermine the one China policy,” she said. Importantly, it refers to a 1970s agreement that states can maintain formal diplomatic relations with either China or Taiwan, but not both.
