A day after US House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei despite warning, China on Thursday fired multiple Dongfeng (DF) ballistic missiles at the island’s northeast and southwest waters. As part of its biggest-ever drills in the Taiwan Strait, China deployed scores of planes and fired live missiles near Taiwan.
Five of the nine ballistic missiles believed to have landed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for the first time, Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said Thursday.
Japan had “lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels”, Kishi said, calling the matter “a serious problem that affects our national security and the safety of our citizens”. Japan’s foreign minister has also called for an ‘immediate stop’ to China’s military drills around Taiwan.
Earlier, Taiwan strongly condemned China’s “North Korea” style missile firing into waters near the self-governed island as it asked Beijing to exercise self-restraint amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. “On August 4, China launched multiple ballistic missiles into waters to the northeast and southwest of Taiwan, threatening Taiwan’s national security, escalating regional tensions, and affecting regular international traffic and trade,” the Taiwan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry in its statement strongly condemned the Chinese government for following the example of North Korea in wilfully test-firing missiles into waters near other countries and demanded that China exercise self-restraint.
According to the statement, Taiwan’s armed forces are operating as usual and monitoring surroundings in response to irrational activities from China, aiming for changing the status quo and destabilizing the region’s security. “We seek no escalation, but we don’t stand down when it comes to our security and sovereignty,” the ministry added.
According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, the Chinese military confirmed that it fired multiple conventional missiles in waters off Taiwan as part of its planned live fire military drills in six zones. The drills are set to run until noon on Sunday. The Chinese military activated over 100 planes, including fighter jets and bombers, and 10 warships.
Responding to the missile firing, Taiwan scrambled its jets to warn away 22 Chinese fighter aircraft that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line into its air defence zone.
China’s action was flayed by Japan after five missiles reportedly landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
China’s Live-fire drills began in at least six identified zones around the island, which China regards as its own and threatens to take over by force. The Chinese PLA organized joint combat training exercises near Taiwan waters and airspace, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Taiwan government has urged the international community to condemn China’s military coercion toward Taiwan. “The ministry also calls on countries around the globe to continue to speak up in support of democratic Taiwan in order to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy, to maintain the rules-based international order, and to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Taiwan Foreign Ministry further said.
Pelosi’s high-stakes visit marks the first visit by a US House Speaker in 25 years since Newt Gingrich came to Taiwan in April 1997. After Pelosi left Taipei, China sent 27 aircraft into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. Pelosi on Wednesday said the Congressional delegation’s visit should be seen as a strong statement that America stands with Taiwan.
