China Increases Military Drills And Cancels Defence And Climate Talks With The US

As Beijing announced sanctions against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in retaliation for her high-stakes visit to Taiwan and cancelled bilateral talks with Washington on defence, climate change, and a variety of other issues, China increased its provocative military drills and warplane incursions in the Taiwan Straits on Friday.

Pelosi spoke with President Tsai Ing-wen and other leaders during her visit to Taiwan on Wednesday, which enraged China’s governing Communist Party, which sees the island as its territory that needs to be reunited with the mainland, even by force.

As part of their enraged response to Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China has ordered four days of military drills in six specifically designated zones bordering Taiwan.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command, which is in charge of Taiwan, carried out joint combat drills and training for a second day on Friday in the waters and airspace off the island of Taiwan.

According to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Twitter, the PLA sent out 68 planes and 13 warships to the Taiwan Strait in response to the actions there, some of which had violated the strait’s median line and endangered its current status quo.

The PLA conducted a number of live-fire exercises and training operations outside Taiwan on Thursday, the first day of the four-day drills, as a way to express its ire over Pelosi’s visit, including the firing of several ballistic missiles. The J-20 stealth fighter jet, the J-16 strike jet, and the YY-20 aerial refuelling aircraft were among the more than 100 aircraft sent to the airspace to the north, southwest, and southeast of Taiwan to conduct joint reconnaissance, air penetration, and fire support drills, according to state-run China Daily.

According to the report, more than ten guided-missile warships and frigates had been stationed close to Taiwan to carry out blockade and area-denial operations.

“The People’s Republic of China recently employed coercion to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, infringing upon our sovereignty and escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific area. The #ROCArmedForces do not aim to escalate situations; nonetheless, we resist all pressure and act rationally “The defence ministry of Taiwan tweeted.

Also on Friday, China escalated its retaliatory measures against the US in response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan by declaring sanctions against her and her family and postponing talks with Washington on a number of topics, including defence and climate change.

The most senior US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years is Pelosi, 82.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday imposing sanctions against Pelosi and her family after harshly denouncing her visit, sternly protesting the US by summoning its ambassador to China Chris Burns, and announcing four days of intense military drills in the Taiwan Strait.

China has resolved to discipline Pelosi and members of her immediate family in accordance with applicable laws of the People’s Republic of China in reaction to her “egregious provocation,” the statement added.

Pelosi and her family are prohibited from visiting China as a result of the restrictions, which are seen as symbolic.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also announced actions to counteract the US, including the cancellation of meetings for the China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA), China-US Defence Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT), and China-US Theatre Commanders Talks (TCT).

The ministry also announced the suspension of China-US collaboration on the return of illegal immigrants, China-US cooperation on criminal legal assistance, China-US cooperation against transnational crimes, China-US cooperation on counter-narcotics, and China-US discussions on climate change.

The two nations’ decision to end their defence dialogue was viewed as significant in this context because the major powers, who are currently engaged in a fierce strategic competition, held regular consultations that, according to observers, helped prevent unintentional conflicts in flashpoint regions like the disputed South China Sea, where the US has increased naval and aerial expeditions to assert freedom of navigation.

Beijing’s failure to prevent Pelosi from travelling to Taiwan led to rare vocal criticism from Chinese citizens, particularly in the local media, which prompted China to impose sanctions against Pelosi and other countermeasures.

The visit by Pelosi was seen as a blow to the standing of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who, unlike his predecessors, is likely to win an extraordinary third five-year term.

In the coming months, he is anticipated to receive support at the Communist Party of China’s once every five years Congress. agencies LAC

The sources stated that there was a lot of pressure to prevent flying activities on either side inside 10 kilometres of the LAC.

The Indian delegation, which included a senior Army official and an Air Commodore, stressed the importance of confidence-building measures in order to prevent any unfortunate incidents, according to the sources. A senior representative of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force was also sent by the Chinese side.

Over a month had passed since the Indian Air Force (IAF) had to scramble its fighters in response to Chinese combat aircraft flying dangerously near to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

According to a source, “the Indian delegation stressed the necessity for confidence-building measures and to have a better understanding between the two sides,” adding that it was communicated that neither side should fly within 10 km of the buffer zone from the LAC.

In the final week of June, a Chinese J-11 fighter jet went dangerously near to the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, prompting the IAF to start its own response. There were earlier reports of events that were similar.

According to the sources, an IAF officer entered the discussions for the first time recently.