Beijing announced new military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan following Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s arrival on the island.
Pelosi’s plane landed safely in Taipei on Tuesday in defiance of Beijing’s warnings. In response, China scrambled fighter jets to fly over the Taiwan Straits and announced unprecedented military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan, according to the Global Times, a Chinese state-affiliated outlet.
“PLA Eastern Theater Command to hold joint military ops around Taiwan, with joint maritime & air drills in N, SW, SE of island, long-range artillery shooting in Taiwan Straits, & conventional missile test firing in sea regions E of island starting Tue night,” a PLA spokesman was quoted as saying.
PLA Eastern Theater Command to hold joint military ops around Taiwan, with joint maritime & air drills in N, SW,SE of island, long-range artillery shooting in Taiwan Straits, & conventional missile test firing in sea regions E of island starting Tue night: spokesperson pic.twitter.com/0wVACvGJ62
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2022
NANCY PELOSI LANDS IN TAIWAN FOR HISTORIC VISIT, PLEDGING ‘UNWAVERING COMMITMENT’ TO DEMOCRACY
The start date was moved up to Tuesday from the previously announced date of Thursday, given a half-hour before. The outlet also provided a map showing the areas included in the exercise, which completely surround the island.
PLA will conduct important military exercises and training activities including live-fire drills in six regions surrounding the Taiwan island from Thursday to Sunday pic.twitter.com/k9q1WEDsyF
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 2, 2022
The PLA took immediate action, reportedly scrambling fighter jets as Pelosi’s flight entered Taiwanese airspace. Su-35 fighter jets were sent across the Taiwan Straits as Pelosi’s plane was still in the air, Chinese state media CGTN reported.
Videos circulated on social media showing the activation of combat sirens in Fujian province, the closest to Taiwan in mainland China.
??Combat sirens have been activated in the Chinese province of Fujian pic.twitter.com/6L8wugAs9F
— The Rage ❌ | Conflict News (@RagexNews) August 2, 2022
Other videos taken earlier in the day by Chinese netizens appear to show large groups of armored vehicles in Fujian province, including amphibious tanks.
??????
Materiał pochodzić ma z ulic portowego miasta Xiamen w prowincji Fujian znajdującego się blisko Tajwanu pic.twitter.com/y1O1ekMzqW— WarNewsPL (@WarNewsPL1) August 2, 2022
More Chinese military equipment on the move in Fujian. #Taiwan #China pic.twitter.com/NTVzG7tMhQ
— Intel Consortium PSF (@INTELPSF) August 2, 2022
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“Pelosi has landed in Taiwan, opening an era of high-intensity competition between China and US over Taiwan Strait. Taiwan is close to Chinese mainland and Beijing has sufficient cards at hand. We will play them one by one confidently. The PLA is announcing a series of actions,” Global Times commentator Hu Xijin tweeted, following Pelosi’s landing in Taiwan.
Pelosi has landed in Taiwan, opening an era of high-intensity competition between China and US over Taiwan Strait. Taiwan is close to Chinese mainland and Beijing has sufficient cards at hand. We will play them one by one confidently. The PLA is announcing a series of actions.
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) August 2, 2022
