BEIJING: China on Thursday extended its threat of attack Taiwan after almost a week of war games near the island. Taiwan has called Beijing’s claims to self-governing democracy “fantasy” and launched its own military exercises.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “Collaboration with external forces for independence and provocation will only accelerate their own downfall and push Taiwan into the abyss of disaster. ,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a daily briefing.
“Their pursuit of Taiwan independence will never be successful, and any attempt to sell national interests will fail completely,” Wang told reporters.
China’s attempt to intimidate the Taiwanese public and advertise a strategy to blockade and potentially invade the island was spurred by last week’s visit to Taipei by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. . Nancy Pelosi.
The United States, Japan and their allies have voiced their disapproval of the exercises, with the Group of Seven industrialized nations issuing a statement at a recent meeting expressing concern.
On Wednesday, the British government summoned Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office to ask for an explanation of Beijing’s “widespread and aggressive escalation against Taiwan”.
Taiwan says Beijing has used Pelosi’s visit as an excuse to raise stakes in its feud with Taipei, firing missiles into the Taiwan Strait and across the island into the Pacific Ocean. China also sends planes and ships through the median line in the strait that has long become a buffer between the two sides, which were divided during the 1949 civil war.
In a lengthy policy statement on Taiwan released Wednesday, China distorted its historical record, including United Nation‘The 1972 resolution moved China’s seat on the Security Council from Beijing to Taipei, Taiwan’s Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council said. China’s statement also removed the commitment not to send troops or government officials to Taiwan made in earlier statements.
The UN resolution makes no mention of Taiwan’s status, although China considers it a cornerstone document declaring Communist Party control of the island.
The Taiwan council statement said China was orchestrating moves against Taiwan ahead of the 20th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party to be held later this year. Party President and Leader Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term at the conclave, after leading a relentless crackdown on alleged corrupt political figures, human rights activists and social groups. Civil.
Xi’s crackdown on free speech and political opposition in Hong Kong is also seen as a factor in Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen winning a second term in 2020.
China says it plans to annex Taiwan under the “one country, two systems” format adopted in Hong Kong, which critics say has been undermined by a national security law. extensively asserting Beijing’s control over speech and political participation. This concept has been thoroughly rejected in Taiwanese opinion polls, in which respondents have fully supported the de facto independent status quo.
China’s claim is “full of wishful thinking and ignoring the truth,” the Mainland Affairs Council said in its press release.
The Beijing government’s crude and clumsy political activities further accentuate its arrogant thinking that attempts to use force to invade and destroy the Taiwan Strait as well as the Taiwan Strait, the statement said. regional peace”.
“The authorities in Beijing deceive themselves. We warn the Beijing authorities to stop immediately threatening Taiwan with force and spreading disinformation,” it said.
Taiwan has put its military on high alert during Chinese exercises but has taken no direct countermeasures. It held artillery drills off its southwest coast facing China that ran through Thursday, illustrating the challenges the People’s Liberation Army will face conducting a cross-strait invasion.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “Collaboration with external forces for independence and provocation will only accelerate their own downfall and push Taiwan into the abyss of disaster. ,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a daily briefing.
“Their pursuit of Taiwan independence will never be successful, and any attempt to sell national interests will fail completely,” Wang told reporters.
China’s attempt to intimidate the Taiwanese public and advertise a strategy to blockade and potentially invade the island was spurred by last week’s visit to Taipei by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. . Nancy Pelosi.
The United States, Japan and their allies have voiced their disapproval of the exercises, with the Group of Seven industrialized nations issuing a statement at a recent meeting expressing concern.
On Wednesday, the British government summoned Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office to ask for an explanation of Beijing’s “widespread and aggressive escalation against Taiwan”.
Taiwan says Beijing has used Pelosi’s visit as an excuse to raise stakes in its feud with Taipei, firing missiles into the Taiwan Strait and across the island into the Pacific Ocean. China also sends planes and ships through the median line in the strait that has long become a buffer between the two sides, which were divided during the 1949 civil war.
In a lengthy policy statement on Taiwan released Wednesday, China distorted its historical record, including United Nation‘The 1972 resolution moved China’s seat on the Security Council from Beijing to Taipei, Taiwan’s Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council said. China’s statement also removed the commitment not to send troops or government officials to Taiwan made in earlier statements.
The UN resolution makes no mention of Taiwan’s status, although China considers it a cornerstone document declaring Communist Party control of the island.
The Taiwan council statement said China was orchestrating moves against Taiwan ahead of the 20th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party to be held later this year. Party President and Leader Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term at the conclave, after leading a relentless crackdown on alleged corrupt political figures, human rights activists and social groups. Civil.
Xi’s crackdown on free speech and political opposition in Hong Kong is also seen as a factor in Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen winning a second term in 2020.
China says it plans to annex Taiwan under the “one country, two systems” format adopted in Hong Kong, which critics say has been undermined by a national security law. extensively asserting Beijing’s control over speech and political participation. This concept has been thoroughly rejected in Taiwanese opinion polls, in which respondents have fully supported the de facto independent status quo.
China’s claim is “full of wishful thinking and ignoring the truth,” the Mainland Affairs Council said in its press release.
The Beijing government’s crude and clumsy political activities further accentuate its arrogant thinking that attempts to use force to invade and destroy the Taiwan Strait as well as the Taiwan Strait, the statement said. regional peace”.
“The authorities in Beijing deceive themselves. We warn the Beijing authorities to stop immediately threatening Taiwan with force and spreading disinformation,” it said.
Taiwan has put its military on high alert during Chinese exercises but has taken no direct countermeasures. It held artillery drills off its southwest coast facing China that ran through Thursday, illustrating the challenges the People’s Liberation Army will face conducting a cross-strait invasion.
