After Nancy Pelosi’s visit, more than 20 Chinese military aircraft in Taiwan’s defense zone

Fever between Beijing and Washington. China reacts to US delegation’s visit Nancy Pelosi, on Taiwan, condemning America’s “extremely dangerous” approach and pledging “targeted military action.” Beijing summoned US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Tuesday, according to the official New China Agency.

“The United States (…) seeks to use Taiwan to control China,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Washington “continues to distort and obscure the one-China policy to intensify its power and distort all meaning. Exchanges with Taiwan and Taiwan’s “independence” to encourage separatist activities. .These activities are very dangerous like playing with fire.

Taiwan announced that more than 20 Chinese military aircraft had entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone. “21 Chinese military aircraft (…) entered the ADIZ (wider than airspace) air defense identification zone in southwestern Taiwan on August 2, 2022,” it said in a statement.

Washington’s “unwavering” support

The visit has taken place despite China’s warning This visit A serious provocation could inflame already strained US-China relations. 82-year-old Nancy Pelosi was welcomed by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. He arrived at Changshan Airport on a US military plane and immediately said his visit to Taiwan would show America’s “unconditional support” for the island.

For its part, Taiwan’s foreign ministry believes Nancy Pelosi is showing Washington’s “unwavering” support. “We believe that President Pelosi’s visit (…) will strengthen the close and friendly relationship between Taiwan and the United States, and further deepen the overall cooperation between the two sides in all fields,” the ministry said.

The main joke

China considers Taiwan, with a population of about 23 million, as one of its provinces, which has not yet been successfully annexed to the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War (1949). Beijing opposes any attempt to grant international recognition to Taiwanese officials and opposes official contact between Taiwan and other countries.

US officials and members of parliament regularly visit the island. But China sees the visit of Nancy Pelosi, one of the highest-ranking figures in the US government, as a major provocation. Last week, during a phone interview with US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping had already called on Americans not to “play with fire”.