BREAKING: China’s People’s Liberation Army to conduct joint military operations near Taiwan

FOLLOWING the arrival of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will conduct joint military operations near Taiwan island from Tuesday, August 2.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China (Eastern Theatre Command) will conduct a series of military operations near Taiwan island starting on Tuesday night, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said on Tuesday, August 2.

It was not specified how long the military exercises would last.

The news comes after Nancy Pelosi touched down in Taiwan.

The rising tensions between the US, China and Taiwan, come after Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the United States House of Representatives, enraged China after deciding to stage a US visit to Taiwan, a move that would potentially recognise Taiwan as an independent sovereign state, and not as the Republic of China.

Prior to Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan, China’s military gathered in Xiamen city, Fujian province after tanks and vehicles rolled in across beaches in Fujian.

Video footage in the lead-up to the US official’s arrival showed Chinese intercontinental missile DF5b and DF-16 ballistic missiles travelling through the streets.

As Pelosi began her descent into Taipei’s Songshan Airport, where she was greeted on arrival by Taiwan’s FM Joseph Wu, China reportedly scrambled PLAAF Su-35 fighter jets across the Taiwan Straits.

However, the Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C spokesman, Li-Fang Sun, said that “no Su-35 has crossed the Taiwan Strait”, but he did acknowledge that other types of PLA aircrafts did. The Defence Ministry is currently handling the situation.

BREAKING: @MoNDefense spokesperson Li-Fang Sun just confirmed to me that “no Su-35 has crossed the Taiwan Strait”, but acknowledged that other types of PLA aircrafts did. The Defence Ministry is currently handling the situation.

— Tingting Liu 劉亭廷 (@tingtingliuTVBS) August 2, 2022

Further reports suggest that China’s Defence Ministry has put the military on “high alert” but stated that China is only conducting a series of joint military operations near Taiwan as countermeasures to Pelosi’s visit.

Pelosi said regarding the visit to Taiwan: “Our Congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy.

“Our visit is part of our broader trip to the Indo-Pacific — including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan — focused on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance.  Our discussions with Taiwan leadership will focus on reaffirming our support for our partner and on promoting our shared interests, including advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.  America’s solidarity with the 23 million people of Taiwan is more important today than ever, as the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy.

“Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts longstanding United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, U.S.-China Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances.  The United States continues to oppose unilateral efforts to change the status quo.”

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