TAIPEI (Reuters) -China’s military exercises have caused instability in Taiwan and the region and are irresponsible acts for a major country, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wrote on Facebook after Beijing ended three days of drills around the island.
China began the war games on Saturday after Tsai returned to Taipei following a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
China, which warned the U.S. not to allow Tsai to visit or meet McCarthy, has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under Beijing’s control. Taiwan’s government strongly disputes China’s claims and repeatedly denounced the drills.
Writing on her Facebook page shortly before midnight on Monday, Tsai said that as president, “I represent my county to the world”, and that her visits abroad including stops in the United States are not new and what Taiwan’s people expect.
“However, China used this to launch military exercises, causing instability in Taiwan and the region. This is not a responsible attitude for a major country in the region,” she said.
China simulated precision attacks and blockades of Taiwan during the drills, sending up dozens of fighter jets and bombers.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said that on Monday, 91 Chinese military aircraft flew in missions around the island.
Taiwan’s official Central News Agency said that was a record, though the ministry said it could not verify whether that was the case.
Tsai said that Taiwan’s armed forces and coast guard reacted calmly and professionally, and she thanked everyone involved.
“Although China’s military exercises have come to an end, the nation’s military and national security team will continue to stick to their posts and defend the country,” she added.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Tom Hogue and Gerry Doyle)
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Source: The Print
