China drills part of invasion game-plan: Taiwan
STORY: Taiwan’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that China was using military drills as a game-plan to prepare for an invasion.
China’s military exercises were launched in protest against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island.
Joseph Wu, speaking at a press conference in Taipei, said Taiwan would not be intimidated by the drills:
“China has used the drills in its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan. It is conducting large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyber attacks, disinformation campaign, and economic coercion, in an attempt to weaken public morale in Taiwan."
“China’s targeted, large-scale military exercises are a serious provocation. China has used (U.S. House) Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as a pretext, but it’s pursuing its true intentions in a number of ways.”
A Pentagon official said on Monday (August 8) that it did not think China would try to invade Taiwan for the next two years.
Wu spoke as military tensions simmer after the scheduled end on Sunday (August 7) of four days of the largest-ever Chinese exercises surrounding the island.
Pelosi's visit infuriated China, and U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he was concerned about China's actions in the region but he was not worried about Taiwan.
“I’m not worried, but I’m concerned they’re moving as much as they are. But I don’t think they’re going to going to do anything more than they are.”
China has never ruled out taking Taiwan by force and on Monday Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China was conducting normal military exercises "in our waters" in an open, transparent and professional way - adding Taiwan was part of China.
