Japan asks China to stop military exercises in front of Taiwan

The leader of Japan on Friday called on China to stop its military exercises around Taiwan, a day after five of the Chinese missiles launched during the exercises landed on waters claimed by Japan for your exclusive economic use.

The prime minister I smoke kishida He called for an “immediate stop” of the exercises, which he said would “have a serious impact on peace and stability in the region and in the world,” Kyodo News reported.

Kishida spoke to reporters after meeting with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosiwhose high-profile visit to Taiwan this week angered China and led to military exercises.

Pelosi said China “may try to prevent Taiwan from visiting or engaging in other places, but it will not isolate Taiwan“.

At least 11 Chinese missiles landed in the waters north, south and east of Taiwan on Thursday, the first day of the exercises, which are expected to end on Sunday.

The People’s Liberation Army of China said that “everyone hit the target with precision.”

Japan said five of them had fallen on theirs exclusive economic zoneoutside its territorial waters.

The exercises seemed to continue on Friday morning.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said Chinese ships and planes have crossed the informal midline in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from mainland China.

Defense ministry said it sent its own aircraft and ships and deployed missile systems on the ground monitor the situation.

China claims Taiwan, an autonomous democracy off its southern coast, as its territory and sees visits by American politicians as an affront.

Pelosi met with Taiwan’s president, lawmakers and human rights activists on Wednesday, praising the island’s commitment to the democracy.

In addition to demonstrating Beijing’s displeasure with his visit, the drills, scheduled in six areas surrounding Taiwan, appear to have been designed as a test for seals the island as part of a possible invasion.

Chinese leaders, including the currenthe, Xi Jinping, They have long said that Taiwan must finally come under Beijing’s control, if necessary by force.

The exercises have put the United States in a delicate position.

While the Pentagon wants to protect the force in the region, it is also sensitive to the risk it a military miscalculation near the island could trigger an unwanted escalation.

John Kirby, a national security spokesman, said Thursday that the Pentagon had ordered the USS Ronald Reagan to “stay on station” in the region, but some distance from the Taiwan Strait entrance.

This represents a movement more cautious than that made during the Taiwan crisis in 1996, when the president bill clinton brought the aircraft carriers closer to the strait.

The United States will resume “normal air and sea transits through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks,” Kirby added, an indication that the White House wants it to do so. Chinese exercises finish first.

On Friday morning, the 7th Fleet of the United States Navy posted photos of fighter planes on the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan on Twitter during what were said to be “flight operations” in the Philippine Sea, southeast of Taiwan.

It was unclear on Friday how the rest of the Chinese exercises would play out.

China’s East Theater Command, which covers Taiwan, said it is mobilizing more 100 fighter aircraftbombers and other aircraft, as well as more than 10 destroyers and frigates, according to Reuters.

Ben Dooley contributed to the report.

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