China: Hot under the Collar

As I’ve indicated a few times over the past few days, China is speaking out and in less reasonable tones than before.

China demands that the United States refrain from organizing visits of members of Congress to Taiwan – Chinese Foreign Ministry

China has begun joint exercises involving the navy, air force, missile, and ground forces around Taiwan. These are major military exercises by China around Taiwan, with more “exclusion zones” that are larger in scale than the exercises triggered by Pelosi’s visit and closer to the island, see the comparison below (https://cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202405230090.aspx)

The maneuvers are a “stern punishment for the separatist actions of Taiwan independence supporters and a strict warning against interference and provocations by external forces,” according to statements from China.

They are basically demonstrating that they can completely blockade the islands, with the zones placed in front of Taiwan’s biggest ports (like Kaohsiung to the South, where a lot of Taiwan’s navy is, or Hualien to the East), as well as protect the mainland at the same time.

It’s not a sign of imminent war, simply a reaction to Lai’s presidential inauguration speech where he hinted at significant changes to the status quo towards independence, so much so that even the Financial Times ran an article (see next tweet) saying that “China has a point” when they were warning about Lai’s intention to change the status quo. This is China telling him “don’t get any ideas”…

Taiwan’s military reported the approach of 33 aircraft and 31 ships from China, as reported by the island’s General Staff.

On May 20, the island inaugurated its new president, Lai Ching-te.

Previously, China demanded that the U.S. refrain from organizing visits by members of Congress to Taiwan.

The term that many of the talking heads and pundits use as messaging to the US, is 🇺🇸: F*ck around and find out. Taiwan is an affair of the Chinese people and Yankee Go Home.

@RnaudBertrand

They are demonstrating that they can completely blockade the islands, with the zones placed in front of Taiwan’s biggest ports (like Kaohsiung to the South, where a lot of Taiwan’s navy is, or Hualien to the East), as well as protect the mainland at the same time.

It’s not a sign of imminent war, simply a reaction to Lai’s presidential inauguration speech where he hinted at significant changes to the status quo towards independence, so much so that even the Financial Times ran an article (see next tweet) saying that “China has a point” when they were warning about Lai’s intention to change the status quo. This is China telling him “don’t get any ideas”…