Taiwan on Saturday accused the Chinese military of simulating an attack on the island, and China stepped up its retaliation after US number three Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, calling off the Beijing-Washington climate talks.
The stay of Nancy Pelosi, president of the House of Representatives, is seen as a “provocation” by Beijing, since Washington had promised not to have official relations with the island territory claimed by China.
In response, Chinese diplomacy announced this Friday night the “suspension” of various cooperation with the United States, in particular in terms of justice, the fight against drugs, but also on climate change. However, the two countries, the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in absolute terms, signed a surprise climate agreement at the COP26 summit in Glasgow last year.
“Multiple” Chinese planes and ships between Taiwan and mainland China
On the military front, China continues Saturday with its largest exercises ever staged in Taiwan. They will last until noon on Sunday (4:00 GMT) and are presented as training for a “blockade” of the island.
Taiwanese authorities announced Saturday that they had detected “multiple” Chinese planes and ships in the Taiwan Strait between the island and mainland China.
“Some of them have crossed the median line” that divides the strait and “are considered to be carrying out a simulated attack against the main island of Taiwan,” the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said. Unilaterally drawn by the United States during the Cold War, this line has never been recognized by Beijing.
The Chinese military announced that it had deployed fighters, bombers and numerous destroyers and escort ships the day before to participate in these maneuvers that are carried out “day and night”, it said.
Taiwan denounces the actions of its “malicious neighbor”
A warning sent to the Taiwanese president, from an independence party, and to the United States, accused by Beijing of having “betrayed” its word by strengthening its relations with the Taiwanese authorities in recent years.
The Chinese military released video of an air force pilot filming Taiwan’s coastline and mountains from his cockpit overnight from Friday to Saturday. Impressive images that supposedly demonstrate Beijing’s ability to get very close to the coast of the island.
For the first time, missiles flew over Taiwan during these military exercises, Chinese state television CCTV said. However, neither the Chinese military nor the Taiwanese military confirmed this information.
On the Taipei side, authorities denounced the actions of their “malicious neighbor” and announced that 68 planes and 13 Chinese military ships crossed the “median line” on Friday.
international convictions
The scale of the exercises has drawn condemnation from the G7 countries, the United States and its allies. The White House has summoned the Chinese ambassador, Qin Gang, to punish behavior considered “irresponsible”.
Beijing’s decision to suspend the climate dialogue with Washington has generated another wave of criticism. US Executive Spokesman for National Security Affairs John Kirby on Friday criticized the decision as “fundamentally irresponsible.” “China is not only punishing the United States, it is punishing the entire world,” he added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his dismay. For him, “it is impossible to solve the world’s most pressing problems without effective dialogue and cooperation between the two countries,” said his spokesperson.
With tensions between China and Taiwan at their highest in nearly 30 years and an admittedly moderate risk of military conflict, the deterioration in relations between Beijing and Washington could be long-lasting, experts say.
Most analysts agree, however, that despite these military exercises, Beijing does not want an armed confrontation at the moment.
Source: BFM TV
