China conducted "regular" drills east of theTaiwan It is reportedly planning to implementthe United Stateslaunched following the conclusion of the Speaker of the House of Representatives' visit to Taiwan.
In response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the autonomous island last week, China launched its first ballistic missile over the island's capital, making her visit a treaty-compliant one. said to be in violation. “One China” policy.
China has also cut off several channels of communication with the United States, including on pressing issues such as the climate crisis .
The country's military drills, which have continued since Thursday, include missile strikes on targets in the waters north and south of Taiwan.
Taiwan instead has its warships and planes underway and its missiles on standby to try to block China's ability to cross the high seas, dubbed a cat-and-mouse operation.
In response to these exercises, several airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Singaporean low-cost carrier Scoot,have announced plans to fly to Taipei, Taiwan's capital city, from Thursday to Sunday. Canceled flight to.
The People's Liberation Army has not said if it will continue military exercises after Sunday.
However, Chinese state media reported on Sunday, citing a commentator, that the military would conduct "regular" drills east of the center line in the Taiwan Strait,.
Military aircraft and warships from both sides do not normally pass through this unofficial buffer zone that separates the two sides, according to Reuters.
Since Thursday, China launched several missiles. Part of it took place off Pingtan Island, about 128 km from Taiwan, as part of Chinese military live-missile exercises on August 4.
Several warships each from China and Taiwan sailed in close range, and some Chinese ships reportedly crossed the median line.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said in a tweet on Saturday that it believed some of these movements were part of a simulation of a potential attack on the mainland.
The autonomous region said it has put its military on alert, conducted civil defense drills and activated land-based missile systems, depending on the situation.
With China's drills expected to end on Sunday, Taiwan said it expected flights through its airspace to gradually resume around noon, although direct flights and ship said it would stay away from one of its training areas until Monday morning.
Reuters, citing sources close to the matter, reported that both sides were showing restraint while remaining cautious.
Taiwan's military conducted live-fire drills in southern Pingtung County on Tuesday and Thursday in response to China's exercises, according to the Associated Press, citing information from Taiwan's government-controlled Central News Agency. It is expected to be.
Citing unnamed sources, the report said Taiwan's exercises included helicopters, armored vehicles, combat vehicles and snipers.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen urged the international community to "support a democratic Taiwan" and "stop the escalation of the regional security situation."
