Pelosi visited Japan, Chinese missiles hit Japanese waters / Article

Prior to that, Pelosi also visited Taiwan, drawing China’s displeasure. China also launched several ballistic missiles during military maneuvers in the vicinity of Taiwan on Thursday, and for the first time some of them landed in Japan’s territorial waters. Japan’s Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo strongly condemned China’s actions.

“China fired nine ballistic missiles, five of which landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

We strongly condemn such actions as it raises serious concerns for the security of Japan and the safety of the Japanese people.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces are continuing to gather all information about the incident and monitor the situation.”

China’s drills are the largest in waters near Taiwan since 1995, after the then-Taiwanese president visited the United States.

Several days before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China had warned that the visit would be considered a provocation and the US official should not carry it out. China’s response was not long in coming. It immediately announced the start of military exercises. They simulate an air and sea blockade.

Within hours of Pelosi’s departure, China sent more than 20 fighter jets across the middle of the Taiwan Strait, the midpoint between the mainland and Taiwan. Chinese officials are increasingly critical of the Western position.

“If these countries really care about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, they should have convinced the United States not to engage in dangerous, reckless and irresponsible provocations against China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

“Before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, they pretended to be deaf and silent, but now they rushed to criticize China’s righteous actions, exposing their hypocrisy and ugliness.”

The White House, which recognizes the so-called “one China policy” but allows informal relations with Taiwan, has opposed Pelosi’s visit amid heightened tensions with Beijing.

News agency “Bloomberg” reports that the White House tried to convince Pelosi to postpone the visit, sending officials of the National Security Council and the State Department to inform her and her team about possible geopolitical risks.

“I really hope that Beijing will not provoke a crisis and will not look for an excuse to increase its aggressive military activity.

We, in countries around the world, believe that escalation would serve no one and could have unintended consequences that would be in no one’s interest,” emphasizes US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

–