Taipei: On Wednesday, as Beijing and Taipei traded jabs, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Taiwan's president and local dignitaries, adding to the confusion and accusations surrounding her visit.
Pelosi arrived in Taipei on Tuesday evening in the most visited flight in the world, despite weeks of warnings from China that doing so would be a de facto declaration of war.
The confusion persisted for hours as the three sides fumbled about the specifics of the trip, but Pelosi eventually stepped down from the US Air Force jet at around 11 p.m. local time. Official Chinese news outlet CCTV reported that several Su-35 jet fighters were sent to the Taiwan Strait, which divides the autonomous, democratic island from the Chinese mainland, minutes before their aircraft arrived.
Beijing also announced that missile launches towards Taiwan would begin immediately and live-fire exercises would take place in six areas around Taiwan from August 4 to 7.
An article detailing the tactical specifics of why the mainland has chosen areas around Taiwan for its live-fire exercises appeared in a state-owned Chinese news outlet, which on Wednesday covered only Taiwan. does.
As of Wednesday local time, it was unknown whether the Chinese military's Eastern Command had carried out a planned launch. Although Beijing claims they did take place, Taiwan claims that many of these accelerated exercises never took place.
Lev Nachman, a professor of political science in Taiwan, told the baron of Taipei: "It looks like misinformation tactics are going to be an important part of the PRC's countermeasures."
China later fired missiles toward Taiwan in 1995 amid rising tensions between the United States and China. Only when President Clinton sent aircraft carrier battle groups through the treacherous Taiwan Strait – the most impressive showing of US forces in Asia since the Vietnam War – did China begin to retreat.
Beijing also appears to be waging an economic war. Early on Wednesday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced an immediate ban on the export of a range of goods to Taiwan, including sand, fruit, fish and more than 100 popular island snacks. The ministry said the list would expand.
Taipei, which has been reserved and unrepentant throughout the week-long drama, accused China of potential international legal breaches on Wednesday if it goes ahead with its upcoming live-fire exercise, which will be held in Taiwan's territorial waters for the first time. will cross. The island's defense ministry said publicly on Wednesday that the exercise was "the equivalent of a blockade of Taiwan's air and sea space."
Taiwan's defense ministry said the action "hurts the sentiments of people on both sides of the strait" and "does not help China's international image." "China's combative actions are clearly aimed at psychologically intimidating our citizens."
Nationalist state-run media in China will end the silent ceasefire with Taiwan's military, according to a Global Times report published late on Tuesday that Pelosi's visit will "accelerate the reunification process" [Taiwan and the mainland].
Pelosi met with President Tsai Ing-wen, other officials and several human rights advocates on Wednesday. They also discussed the recently passed Chips and Science Act, which, according to Taiwan's LibertyTimes, with Mark Liu, President of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 2330 +1.83 percent (ticker: TSM), the US federal for US-based semiconductor chip factories. Provides $52 billion in subsidies. Newspaper on Wednesday.
"They made a big ruckus because I'm the speaker, I guess. I don't know if that's a reason or an excuse, because when the men came they didn't say anything," the Speakers of the House said. During Wednesday's press conference for Tsai and Pelosi.
Pelosi also cited China's occupation of Hong Kong as evidence of unrestrained Chinese expansion.
Despite this, Taiwan's attitude towards the visit was generally positive, if not neutral.
"We've been sitting here next to this dangerous giant [China] for 70 years," said a retired electrician in Taipei who was reached by WhatsApp. “You should finally stop worrying. While this visit may escalate tensions, it will ultimately demonstrate to China and the rest of the world that the United States is a true partner.
Opinions appeared to differ greatly, depending on the generation of the defendant and the time back home. Chengdu graduate student Wu Liling said that Taiwan has "produced so many good films and music" and should be left alone. When asked separately about the matter, his father replied, "The US should stay out of it because Taiwan is part of China."
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