Just days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China fired missiles into the waters surrounding Taiwan.
The Chinese media says that the military drills began Thursday around noon local time in six areas and will continue on Sunday. Senior Colonel Shi Yi said the purpose of the drills was to test the precision of their weapons and ability to block enemies from accessing or controlling the area.
The Taiwanese government has condemned the exercises calling them “irrational actions that undermine regional peace.” Japan is also pushing back claiming that five of the missiles landed in their exclusive economic zone.
Pelosi’s visit caused quite the stir, being the first time a senior US politician visited the island in 25 years. Ahead of the visit, Beijing warned of “serious consequences” if Pelosi made the trip.
“There is no justification to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait. It is normal and routine for legislators from our countries to travel internationally,” the Group of Seven (G7) developed nations said in response to the missile exercises.
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