PLA military drill areas could pose 'threat' to major Taiwanese ports, shipping lanes, forming complete blockage

Taipei: Amid Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's high-profile visit to Taipei, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) military drill areas could pose a threat to major ports and shipping lanes in Taiwan, forming a complete blockage, according to a retired army lieutenant general.

"PLA military drill areas could pose a threat to major ports and shipping lanes in Taiwan, forming a complete blockage. This could be one of the possible action plans for achieving reunification by force in the future," said Herman Shuai, a retired army lieutenant general from Taiwan.

PLA military drill areas could pose a threat to major ports & shipping lanes in Taiwan, forming a complete blockage. This could be one of the possible action plans for achieving reunification by force in the future: Herman Shuai, a retired army lieutenant general from Taiwan pic.twitter.com/DZv3WPvZUC

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 3, 2022

According to Global Times, PLA Eastern Theater Command has sent "advanced warplanes to exercise combat takeoffs from different airports and conduct missions in different airspaces."

This is in response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, China has summoned the American envoy in Beijing to lodge a stern protest over Pelosi's visit to Taipei, warning that Washington will "pay a price" for its "mistakes" and asked it to stop using the Taiwan issue to contain China in any form.

Bristling with anger over Pelosi's visit to Taipei, China also carried out live-fire missile drills in Taiwan Straits besides flying a number of Chinese fighter jets near Taiwanese airspace. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng "urgently summoned" the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns late Tuesday night and lodged stern representations and strong protests over Pelosi's visit.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province which will one day unite with it. Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to reunify the self-ruled island with the mainland.

Noting that the US side shall "pay the price" for its "mistakes" for going ahead with the visit disregarding stern warnings from Beijing, Xie urged the US to immediately address its wrongdoings, take practical measures to undo the adverse effects caused by Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Pelosi's visit has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations, and seriously infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said, adding that it gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence".

After arriving in Taipei, Pelosi said that the US delegation's visit "honours America's unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan's vibrant democracy." "Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan - and it in no way contradicts long-standing United States policy, she said.

"By travelling to Taiwan, we honour our commitment to democracy: reaffirming that the freedoms of Taiwan and all democracies must be respected."

The 82-year-old top Democratic Party leader said that her "visit reiterates that America stands with Taiwan: a robust, vibrant democracy and our important partner in the Indo-Pacific."

(With inputs from agencies)

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