People walk past a billboard welcoming US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022.
Photo : AP
According to state media, the exercise will also involve ‘live firing’ and will take place at multiple zones around Taiwan. At some of the points, the drills could be taking place just about 20 km from Taiwan’s shores, it was reported.
“Six major areas around the island have been selected for this actual combat exercise and during this period, relevant ships and aircraft should not enter the relevant waters and airspaces,” state broadcaster CCTV said.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said that it was prepared for a conflict. “The Ministry of National Defence stresses that it will uphold the principle of preparing for war without seeking war, and with an attitude of not escalating conflict and causing disputes,” the Ministry said in a statement, agencies cited.
Jinping’s ‘playing with fire’ threat to Biden
China was quick to react to the visit and said that the US was the provocateur in the developments. “In the current struggle surrounding Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, the United States are the provocateurs, China is the victim,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a routine briefing. Previously, Chinese President Xi Jinping had, in a telephonic conversation with US President Joe Biden, warned that those ‘playing with fire will get burned’.
