The tensions between the US and China continued today (Friday) and continue to escalate, with a firm American condemnation of the Chinese military maneuver around Taiwan, and a series of additional measures announced by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to reduce relations and cooperation between the two countries.
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US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken responded to the military maneuver that China launched this week around Taiwan, which includes firing live long-range munitions in the Taiwan Strait and launching conventional missiles off the east coast of the island, saying that “this is a disproportionate response to the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi Blinken also added that the exercise that continues to take place these days is “a blatantly provocative step by the power in the east”.
The American Secretary of State said these things to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and claimed that the United States is working to calm tensions in Asia, and stands by its allies.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that China would take additional countermeasures in response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, including canceling dialogues between US and Chinese military leaders, suspending the climate talks between China and the US, and suspending cooperation between the US and China in crime prevention Cross-border, the suspension of talks between the US and China on the Maritime Safety Mechanism, the suspension of US-China anti-narcotics cooperation and the suspension of US-China cooperation on the return of illegal immigrants.
Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan, Reuters
As you may recall, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said last night that China had launched a number of ‘Dongfeng’ type ballistic missiles to the northeast and southwest of the country. The Ministry of Defense confirmed and said that the air defense systems were activated in response. The local foreign ministry said: “On August 4, China launched multiple ballistic missiles into waters northeast and southwest of Taiwan, threatening national security, escalating regional tensions, and affecting regular international traffic and trade.”
Between the People’s China and the Republic of China (Taiwan) there are long-standing tensions where the two countries do not recognize each other. People’s China has repeatedly threatened to force Taiwan to unite with mainland China.