China fired this Thursday ballistic missiles and deployed planes and warships around Taiwan, on the first day of its military exercises, the most important in decades against the island to protest against the visit of the president of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

These are exercises with real ammunition the largest ever made by Beijing. They will last four days and raise fears that a miscalculation could spark disaster in one of the hottest parts of the planet, with the United States Navy sailing nearby and commercial fleets passing by.

Despite Beijing’s warnings, that considers Taiwan as part of its territory, Pelosi, second in the presidential succession line, paid a quick visit to Taipei, in which she assured that the United States “will not abandon” Taiwan.

China regarded the American legislator’s initiative as a provocation and vowed to punish those who offended her by announcing these military exercises in the waters around Taiwan.

A New York Times note warned this Thursday that China’s current show of power is not just a “show” of military muscle, it is an excellent opportunity for Beijing to experience an invasion. of the islanda target on Xi Jinping’s head.

The maneuvers, which began Thursday at noon local, included “launching conventional missiles” in the waters off the eastern coast of Taiwansaid Shi Yi, a spokesman for the Chinese army.

“All the missiles hit the target accuratelyColonel Shi added.

For its part, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Chinese army had fired “11” Dongfeng-type ballistic missiles “between 1:56 pm and 4 pm in the waters north, south and east of Taiwan”.

They are “irrational actions that undermine regional peace“, condemned the ministry, which did not specify whether the bullets flew over the island.

In Pingtan, a Chinese island located near the exercise area, AFP reporters saw several unidentified bullets rise into the sky at around 1:13 pm, followed by a trail of white smoke.

In this area, the closest to Taiwan, they also saw journalists five military helicopters flying low near a tourist spot. For tourists, the maneuvers were a spectacle.

the maneuvers They should end on Sunday.

Missiles over Taiwan

According to the Chinese newspaper Global Times, which cites military analysts, these operations are an “unprecedented” dimension. from missiles they will fly over Taiwan for the first time.

Beijing has defended the exercises, as well as other maneuvers in recent days, as “just and necessary” and accused the United States and its allies of the escalation.

“In the current struggle for Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the United States is the provocateur and China the victim“Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

A Chinese military source told AFP that the exercises they are performed “in preparation for actual combat”.

“If the Taiwanese forces come into contact with the EPL (People’s Liberation Army) and accidentally shoot a weapon, the EPL will take severe action and all consequences will be on the Taiwanese side,” added the Chinese military. Even if everything indicates that it would be the other way around.

Exercises try to simulate a “block” of the island and include “the assault of targets at sea, the attack of targets on the ground and the control of airspace,” according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The island’s authorities condemned the maneuvers, calling them “an irrational act that wants to challenge the international order”.

The hypothesis of an invasion of Taiwan, with 23 million inhabitants, it is unlikely. But, since the election in 2016 of the current president, Tsai Ing-wen, the threats to carry it out They are increasing.

Tsai, what belongs to an independence party unlike the previous government, it refuses to recognize that the island and the mainland are part of it “a China”.

In recent years, visits to Taipei by foreign officials and lawmakers have multiplied, which has increased Beijing’s outrage.

In response, China sought to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and increased military pressure against the island.

However, analysts argue that China is not trying to aggravate the situation beyond its control, at least for now.

“The last thing Xi wants is an explosion an accidental war “esteems Titus Chen, associate professor of political science at National Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan.

But for Amanda Hsiao, Chinese analyst of the International Crisis Group, “it represents the announcement of the Chinese military exercises a clear climb the current base of Chinese military activities around Taiwan and the last crisis in the Taiwan Strait of 1995-1996 “.

“By behaving in this way, Beijing indicates to reject any sovereignty” of the Taiwanese authorities, “it adds.

With information from AFP

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