Politics of Taiwan

China said Aug. 8 it was extending threatening military exercises surrounding Taiwan that have disrupted shipping and air traffic and substantially raised concerns about the potential for conflict in a region crucial to global trade.

Taiwan accused the Chinese army of simulating an attack on its main island on Aug. 6, as Beijing continued its retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taipei visit.

Relations between the two superpowers nosedived following Pelosi's trip to China's self-ruled neighbour -- which it claims as its territory -- prompting calls from the UN for an urgent de-escalation of tensions.

"We will not allow them to isolate Taiwan. They are not making our road plan, and the US-Taiwan partnership is strong," Pelosi said, "The Guardian" reported.
She claims that China has tried to isolate Taiwan and that her visit to Taipei is "an excuse for Beijing to conduct military exercises near the island".

The ministry assesses that China's military exercises are extremely provocative, "whether it launches ballistic missiles or deliberately crosses the center line of the strait," reports Reuters. Some world media reports that Chinese forces have encircled Taiwan.

Taiwan blasted its "evil neighbour next door" on Aug. 5 after China encircled the island with a series of huge military drills that were condemned by the United States and other Western allies.

During Thursday's military exercises, which continued Friday, China fired ballistic missiles and deployed both fighter jets and warships around Taiwan.

China's People's Liberation Army has begun military exercises involving live fire on the waters and in the airspace around the island of Taiwan, Chinese state television reported on Thursday.

As they state, Chinese forces are blocking the airspace and waters belonging to Taiwan.
As reported by the French news agency AFP, 27 planes entered Taiwan's airspace.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the first by such a senior US official in 25 years sparked anti-US vitriol on Chinese social media.

The top Chinese and US security advisers have held lengthy talks, with both sides describing them as "candid" following days of acrimonious exchanges over Taiwan and other flashpoint issues.

The maneuvers are also being carried out in response to the "collusion between Taiwan and the United States," said Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND), Tan Kefei.