A US military commander in Singapore said China’s decision to launch missiles around Taiwan should have a response.
The Chinese People’s Army carried out major sea and air maneuvers by launching ballistic missiles into the waters close to its territory around the island, which Beijing claims sovereignty over.
“It is very important that we respond to this type of action,” US Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Karl Thomas told reporters in Singapore.
“If we let this happen and we don’t respond, that will become the norm later on,” he said. “It is irresponsible to launch missiles at Taiwan in international waters where maritime and free navigation operate,” he said.
The Seventh Fleet is based in Japan and forms an important element of the American naval presence in the Pacific.
Tensions rose in the region with the visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, which angered Beijing.
Although de facto separated since 1949, China considers the island part of its territory and has promised to unite it one day, including by force if necessary.
Vice Admiral Thomas drew a parallel between the threat to Taiwan and his behavior in the South China Sea, over which Beijing claims almost complete sovereignty.
Beijing’s “if you don’t challenge … it could be like islands that suddenly become military outposts in the South China Sea”.
“Now they are fully functional military outposts with missiles, large runways, hangars, radars, listening points,” he said.
source: Noticias
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