The People’s Liberation Army of China on Thursday started military exercises using live ammunition in the sea surrounding Taiwan, AFP reported.
The exercises commenced a day after United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan.
Pelosi was the highest-ranking American official to visit Taiwan in 25 years despite a slew of threats from Beijing. China sees official visits by US authorities as lending support to pro-independence camps and giving credence to the idea of Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
China considers Taiwan as an island that is to be unified with the mainland.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said it will continue to strengthen its vigilance in response to Beijing’s “irrational behaviour” of carrying out live-fire military exercises.
“The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that it will uphold the principle of preparing for war without seeking war,” a press release from the Taiwan government said. “We seek no escalation, but we don’t stand down when it comes to our security and sovereignty,” Taiwan’s defence ministry said.
#ROCArmdForces are operating as usual and monitor our surroundings in response to irrational activities from PRC, aiming for changing the status quo & destabilizing the region’s security. We seek no escalation, but we don’t stand down when it comes to our security and sovereignty
— 國防部 Ministry of…
