The Chinese military fired shells into the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, journalists from the AFP news agency confirmed, shortly after the beginning of important military maneuvers around the island claimed by Beijing.
In Pingtan, a Chinese island located near the ongoing maneuvers, opposite Taiwan, AFP journalists saw several small projectiles rise into the sky around 1 am Colombian time, fired from the vicinity of military installations, followed by a white smoke trail.
AFP was unable to identify the projectiles fired or determine their precise direction.
Numerous tourists who were on the seafront of the resort island witnessed the shooting.
The Chinese Armed Forces began this Thursday the largest military maneuvers in its history around Taiwana forceful response to the visit of the president of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to the island.
Video of PLA long range rockets firing from Fujian Pingtan into the Taiwan strait. I note this is on the Taiwan side of the median line. pic.twitter.com/TldLcn81oR
– Bonaaannn (@BN9195) August 4, 2022
(Be sure to read: ‘Those who offend China must be punished,’ says Foreign Minister Wang Yi.)
The trip by Pelosi, the most senior US elected official to visit Taipei in 25 years, to Chinese-claimed territory lasted less than 24 hours but drew the ire of Beijing.
Pelosi insisted that the United States will not abandon the island, which lives under the constant threat of an invasion by the Chinese army.
In response, China on Thursday launched military exercises in six areas around Taiwan that are due to last until noon on Sunday.
(We recommend: Nancy Pelosi arrives in South Korea from Taiwan to continue her tour of Asia).
‘We prepare for war without seeking war’: Taiwan
Taiwan said it closely monitors China’s large military exercises around the island and that its forces prepare for conflict, but does not seek it.
“The Ministry of National Defense maintains that it will maintain the principle of preparing for war without seeking war, with the attitude of not escalating the conflict or causing disputes,” the agency said in a statement.
The military authorities assured that they are “monitoring” the surroundings of the island in response to “irrational activities” by the Chinese Army and that, although they do not want “an escalation” of the situation, “they will not back down” in regard to to the “security and sovereignty” of Taiwan.
(Keep reading: Chinese Embassy in Colombia attacks Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan).
In addition, the Defense Ministry reported today that Taiwanese forces had to fire flares twice last night to drive away a Chinese military drone that was flying over the vicinity of the Kinmen Islands (also known as Quemoy), which, despite being just 30 kilometers from the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, are controlled by Taipei.
In recent decades, these islands have been the target of bombing by China when tensions between Taipei and Beijing reached their highest levels.
According to Taiwanese media, Chinese drills have affected 18 international air routes on the island and more than 900 flights have been forced to change their route.
AFP and EFE
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