Chinese Army to begin drills around Taiwan amid Pelosi visit
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Amid tensions, the Chinese People's Liberation Army says it will conduct a series of joint military operations around the island.
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The Liaoning aircraft carrier is accompanied by frigates and submarines on April 12, 2018, conducting exercises in the South China Sea (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP)
The Chinese army will begin a series of military operations around Taiwan on Tuesday evening amid a visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command Spokesperson Shi Yi confirmed on Tuesday.
In a statement, Shi indicated that "On the evening of August 2, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command will conduct a series of joint military operations around the island of Taiwan, and conduct joint air and naval exercises in the sea and airspace to the north, southwest and southeast from Taiwan."
The Global Times newspaper reported earlier that the Chinese army would conduct exercises in six areas around Taiwan from August 4 to 7.
PLA will conduct important military exercises and training activities including live-fire drills in six regions surrounding the Taiwan island from Thursday to Sunday pic.twitter.com/k9q1WEDsyF
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2022
Taiwan claims Chinese Su-35 fighters did not cross Taiwan Strait
In a similar context, Taiwanese Defense Ministry spokesman Sun Lifang claimed that Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Su-35 fighter jets have not crossed the Taiwan Strait.
Earlier, China Central Television reported that Su-35 fighters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force were crossing the Taiwan Strait.
"People's Liberation Army Air Force Su-35 fighters did not cross the Taiwan Strait, but other models of aircraft crossed the median line. The Ministry of Defense is taking measures to respond to the situation," Sun was quoted by Taiwanese television channel TVBS as saying.
It is noteworthy that a US Air Force plane carrying US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed Tuesday in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, at 10:44 p.m. local time (14:44 GMT), according to a live video broadcast from the airport.
First video of Nancy Pelosi in #Taiwan after landing. pic.twitter.com/G7xBr35OOn
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 2, 2022
The significance of Pelosi's visit is that it comes at a time of great tensions between the US and China over Taiwan, and it would mark the first visit made by a US House Speaker to the Island since 1997.
Pelosi's visit comes despite warnings
Pelosi's visit to Taiwan comes despite warnings from China, as well as from US President Joe Biden's administration officials, who are concerned about Beijing's reaction.
Earlier, China warned that the US will "pay the price" if US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan.
"The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying stressed Tuesday at a regular press briefing.
Biden said in late July that the US military "thinks it's not a good idea right now, but I don't know what the status of it is."
The Chinese Ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, had said that the Taiwan issue is the most sensitive and important core issue in Sino-US relations.
Chinese National Defense Ministry Spokesperson Tan Kefei warned on July 26 that the Chinese military would not sit back if Pelosi visits Taiwan.
China: "People’s Liberation Army won’t sit back quietly"
In the same context, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday that "if Pelosi visits Taiwan, this will be a gross interference in China’s domestic policy [...] and will lead to very serious consequences."
"The Chinese People’s Liberation Army won’t sit back quietly and do nothing," he added.
According to Zhao, Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan would trigger instability in the Taiwan Strait and severe China-US relations. "China will definitely take resolute and effective countermeasures," he stressed.
US military assets deployed ahead of Pelosi's visit
Nikkei Asia reported on Monday that the US has deployed naval and aerial military assets ahead of Pelosi's trek into Taiwan, as data for naval and aerial tracking shows that military ships and jets are being drawn closer to Taiwan.
The news agency added that the assets included the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which was previously in Singapore, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and the amphibious assault ship USS America, which were near Japan, as well as over 30 other warships, three submarines, and several fighter aircraft.
These sorties are not the first in light of Pelosi's visit, as the Chinese People's Liberation Army on Saturday held military drills with a firing exercise in Fujian, a province in the southeastern region of China, across the strait of Taiwan, according to the maritime administration of Pingtan county.
