China said Sunday it carried out its fourth consecutive day of military drills in the air and sea around Taiwan in the aftermath of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island. A spokesperson for the Peoples Liberation Army said that the purpose of the drills were to test long range military capabilities.
Taiwan's defense ministry said it detected a total of 66 Chinese aircraft and 14 Chinese warships conducting joint naval and air exercises around the Taiwan Strait. The ministry said it will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported that Taiwan’s army will conduct live-fire artillery drills in southern Pingtung County on Tuesday and Thursday.
China has set up military areas around Taiwan for the four-day drills it announced after Pelosi’s trip to Taipei on Tuesday. China saw her visit as an attack on their sovereignty due to the fact that they see Taiwan as a province of their country.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the military exercises “fundamentally irresponsible" and stated that “there’s no need and no reason for this escalation”.
The Biden administration reiterated that the United States is still committed to the one-China policy that recognizes Beijing as the legitimate government of Taiwan but still allows some level of international relations with Taipei.
