BEIJING (Washington Insider Magazine) – Monday saw air raid drills in Taiwan’s capital and military mobilization for routine defense drills amid concern over a strong Chinese backlash to a potential visit by the U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island claimed by Beijing.
Although there was no clear connection between Taiwan’s defensive actions and China’s recent threats, they highlight the likelihood of a new conflict in the Taiwan Strait, which is thought to be a possible flashpoint for conflict that might involve the whole region.
The military was conducting its annual multi-day Han Kuang exercises, which include combined sea and air drills as well as the deployment of troops and tanks, when air raid sirens were heard in Taipei, the capital, according to NBC NEWS.
Authorities in Taipei told people to seek cover after a siren sounded just after midday. Streets were deserted and stores shuttered.
Pelosi has not stated a date or even an intention to travel, but President Joe Biden told reporters last week that U.S. military authorities thought a visit was “not a good idea.” Officials within the administration are rumored to be skeptical of a potential trip due to timing issues and a lack of cooperation with the White House.
By holding military drills, flying jets into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, or crossing the centerline of the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait, China’s authoritarian government Communist Party constantly exposes its threat to conquer democratic, self-governing Taiwan by force if needed.
More than 70 years after the factions split during a civil war, Beijing claims that these measures are intended to discourage proponents of the island’s official independence and international supporters, particularly the U.S., from meddling. Surveys consistently reveal that Taiwan’s 23 million residents disagree with China’s claims that the island is an errant province of China that has to be brought back under Beijing’s supervision.
Pelosi is second in line to the White House and has always been a harsh critic of Beijing. China, which insists that congress members uphold the promises made by past administrations, sees her as a Biden stand-in.
One of the few topics with strong bipartisan backing among lawmakers and the administration is Taiwan. Washington is required by U.S. law to give Taiwan the ability to defend itself and to take any threats to the island as issues of “grave concern,” but it is unclear if Washington would deploy troops in reaction to a Chinese strike.
Although there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, the U.S. is Taiwan’s top foreign donor for political and military support, reflecting its goal to contain China’s expanding influence in the area.
U.S. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that the Chinese military has grown much more violent and aggressive over the past 5 years while on a visit to Indonesia on Sunday.
Gen. Li Zuocheng, Milley’s Chinese counterpart, informed him last month during a phone call that Beijing had “no room for compromise” on matters like Taiwan.
Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated on Monday that Beijing has repeatedly reiterated its “solemn position” over Pelosi’s planned trip, which would make her the highest-ranking elected official from the United States to visit Taiwan since 1997.
China has not made clear what precise measures it would take, but there has been talk that it may launch another round of menacing military drills or even try to stop Pelosi’s plane from landing by establishing a no-fly zone over Taiwan.
