TAIPEI (dpa-AFX) -Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has criticized China for its large-scale maneuvers near the democratic island republic as irresponsible. In a video address on Tuesday, Tsai said her trips to the United States have been a long-standing practice. Representing Taiwan as president and maintaining communication with friends is in line with the expectations of the Taiwanese people. “But China is using this to launch military maneuvers, which is causing instability in the Taiwan Strait and the region. This is not a responsible attitude by a big country.”
The President also thanked the Taiwan Armed Forces for their efforts during the People’s Liberation Army’s three-day major maneuvers. Although exercises ended on Monday evening, Taiwan’s military continued to count 26 Chinese planes and nine warships near the island within five hours on Tuesday morning alone. Fourteen planes crossed a previously respected center line in the Taiwan Strait Straits and entered the Taiwan Air Patrol Zone (ADIZ).
China held the maneuvers in response to Taiwan’s President’s visit to the US and her talks with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. According to Beijing, the exercises served as a warning to the independence forces in Taiwan and foreign interference.
The communist leadership in Beijing regards Taiwan, which has been governed independently for more than 70 years, as part of the People’s Republic and is threatening to conquer it. China is trying to isolate Taiwan internationally. Beijing firmly rejects official contacts from other countries to Taipei. The visit of McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan in August triggered a similar crisis.
