China conducts military drills near Taiwan to express opposition to US lawmakers’ visit to the island

Asia-Pacific, News April 17, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted military drills in the East China Sea as well as aerial and sea areas around Taiwan when U.S. congressmen were visiting the island.

The PLA mobilized various services and arms and dispatched destroyers, frigates, bombers, fighter jets, and armed forces to carry out joint combat alert patrols and exercises, as well as maritime assaults.

PLA’s Eastern Theater Command’s spokesman Senior Colonel Shi Yi said: “The operation targets the US’ recent wrong signals on the Taiwan question, as the US’ wicked tactics are totally useless and dangerous, “

“The U.S. bad actions and tricks are completely futile and very dangerous. Those who play with fire will burn themselves,” he added.

According to the spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian, the U.S. lawmakers deliberately and provocatively visited the island of Taiwan in disregard of China’s strong opposition. The visit severely violated the one-China principle and the regulations of the Three Joint Communiqués between China and the U.S. seriously harmed the political foundation of China-US ties, and caused a further escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Straits, the press release read.

“It is extremely hypocritical and untrustworthy for the US to pledge not to support ‘Taiwan independence’ on the one hand and send a serious wrong signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist forces on the other,” Senior Colonel Wu Qian added.

*^{People’s Liberation Army’s 73rd Group Army in Xiamen, Fujian, China, take part in amphibious assault and live-firing exercises on May 12, 2021. (Image Credit: Military.Cnr/Weibo)}*

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made it clear that Friday’s military operation was aimed at the U.S. congressional delegation’s visit to the island of Taiwan. “China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and the Taiwan region, ” Zhao added.

On April 14, a group of six U.S. lawmakers landed at Taipei’s downtown Songshan airport on a U.S. Air Force aircraft on an unannounced two-day visit to demonstrate support to the island. The U.S. senators were greeted by Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu at the airport.

The U.S. delegation that arrived in Taiwan included: 1) The chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, New Jersey Democrat Senator Robert Menendez; 2) South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham; 3) North Carolina Republican Senator Richard Burr; 4) Republican of Ohio Senator Robert Portman; 5) Republican of Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse; 6) Republican of Texas Representative Ronny Jackson.

The U.S. congressmen held a meeting with Tsai Ing-wen on April 15 morning. According to Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson Xavier Chang, the visit of the U.S. lawmakers not only shows the bipartisan support for Taiwan but also the “rock solid” nature of Taiwan-U.S. relations.

*^{Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen speaking to the delegation of U.S. senators led by Lindsey Graham (5th-L) at the Presidential Office in Taipei. (Image Credit: AFP)}*

Although the U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan and considers the island as part of China, it is the biggest weapons supplier and supporter of Taiwan.

The U.S. holds a position of strategic ambiguity when it comes to acknowledging Taiwan’s independence. However, since Joe Biden became the President of the United States in 2021, his administration has approved three arms sales to Taiwan to improve the island’s ability to defend itself.

Beijing considers the Taiwan issue to be the most sensitive and important point for its relations with Washington. China has made it clear on several occasions that any confrontation on Taiwan’s status can lead to potential military conflict between the two countries.