Chinese President Xi Jinping
Photo : ANI
China considers Taiwan its territory and has indicated through repeated warnings that it would view a visit by Pelosi as a major provocation. “The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China’s sovereign security interests,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.
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The Chinese aircraft repeatedly conducted tactical moves of briefly “touching” the median line and circling back to the other side of the strait on Tuesday morning, while Taiwanese aircraft were on standby nearby. While the planes eventually left, the ships ahev remained. Neither side’s aircraft normally cross the median line.
Meanwhile, the website of Taiwan’s presidential office has received an overseas cyber attack. Currently, the Taiwan government’s website is down with a 502 (server overload) error.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said in a statement it has a full grasp of military activities near Taiwan and will appropriately dispatch forces in reaction to “enemy threats”.
Speculative reports suggest that China could respond with increased military power or even take the legal route. According to White House national security spokesperson John Kirby, Beijing’s responses could include firing missiles near Taiwan, large-scale air or naval activities, or further “spurious legal claims” such as China’s assertion that the Taiwan Strait is not an international waterway.
It is pertinent to note however that the Taiwan visit has not yet been officially confirmed by Pelosi and her team, or indeed any White House official.
