China announces fresh military drills around Chinese Taipei
(VOVWORLD) - China’s military announced fresh military drills on Monday in the seas and airspace around Chinese Taipei - a day after the scheduled end of its largest ever exercises to protest against last week’s visit to Taipei by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
 A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft flies over the 68-nautical-mile scenic spot, one of mainland China's closest points to Chinese Taipei, in Pingtan island, Fujian province, China, August 5, 2022. (Photo: REUTERS) |
China’s Eastern Theatre Command said it would conduct joint drills focusing on anti-submarine and sea assault operations. The duration and precise location of the latest drills is not yet known, but Chinese Taipei has already eased flight restrictions near the six earlier Chinese exercise areas surrounding the island.
China’s defence ministry meanwhile maintained its diplomatic pressure on the United States, defending its shelving of military-to-military talks in protest at Pelosi’s visit.
“The current tense situation in the Taiwan Strait is entirely provoked and created by the U.S. side on its own initiative, and the U.S. side must bear full responsibility and serious consequences for this,” defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said in an online post.
Pentagon, State Department and White House officials condemned the move, describing it as an irresponsible over-reaction.