CHINESE ACTIVITY AROUND TAIWAN TO BE COUNTERED BY US IN COMING WEEKS- STATE DEPT.

Thu 18 August 2022:

The United States will take steps in the coming weeks and months to counter China’s military and economic activity around Taiwan, State Department spokesman Ned price said on Wednesday.

“We will continue to take steps that are resolute but also calm to uphold peace and stability in the face of Beijing’s ongoing efforts to undermine the status quo,” Price said during a press briefing. “These steps across a range of areas will unfold over the coming weeks and months because we recognize that this challenge is a long term.”

Price said the United States expects China to continue alleged military intimidation and coercive economic tactics against Taiwan in the coming weeks. Price added that China has maintained a heightened military air and maritime posture around Taiwan despite the end of exercises.

Moreover, Price said any US moves to counter China’s activity around Taiwan will be consistent with the One China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, and other measures.

Commenting on China’s percipients in Russian military drill, Price said, My understanding is that these are joint exercises that involve a number of countries well beyond Russia and China. Countries routinely make their own sovereign decisions. It is absolutely their right to do so regarding what, if any, military exercises to take part in.

I’ll also note that most of the participating countries also routinely participate in a wide array of military exercises and exchanges with the United States as well. So we don’t read anything into their engagement in this activity.

The visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in early August triggered a new round of tensions in the Taiwan Strait and in the region. On August 4, Beijing launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island, which included live-fire drills and military aircraft overflights close to Taiwan’s airspace.

On Tuesday, China staged military exercises in five areas of the South China Sea off the coast of the southeastern Guangdong province. Several zones of the Yellow Sea are also involved in the ongoing drills on August 17-19.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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