US Lawmaker's Visit to Taiwan... China Announces Strong Response

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] Following Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. lawmakers have visited Taiwan, prompting strong backlash from China. The possibility of military actions by the Chinese military around Taiwan is also increasing.

According to major Chinese media on the 15th, Liu Fengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., stated on the 14th (U.S. local time), "The United States does not wish for stability across the Taiwan Strait (between China and Taiwan) and spares no effort to incite confrontation and interfere in internal affairs," adding, "We will take countermeasures against U.S. provocations."

Military actions were also mentioned. On the 14th, the Chinese state-run media 'Voice of the Strait' reported, "The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army may conduct strong military actions in the sea and airspace around Taiwan during the visit of U.S. lawmakers to Taiwan." Major Taiwanese news agencies also reported that from early morning until 10 a.m. that day, Chinese military fighter jets entered Taiwan's northern, western, and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) seven times. The Taiwanese military responded with warning broadcasts and other measures toward the Chinese military jets.

China also conducted military actions during Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on the 2nd and 3rd. Until the 10th, the Chinese military carried out high-intensity military exercises, including live-fire drills, in training zones surrounding Taiwan. Since then, the intensity of military actions has increased, including military aircraft crossing beyond the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, bipartisan U.S. senators and representatives, including Democratic Senator Ed Markey, arrived in Taiwan the day before. They plan to meet with senior Taiwanese officials to discuss security, economic, and trade relations. The Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper People's Daily-affiliated 'Global Times' predicted through experts that China would carry out military actions against the U.S. delegation visiting Taiwan at a level similar to those during Pelosi's visit.