Taipei, Aug 4: Taiwan sought Thursday to rally the international community behind its efforts to resist China after it launched a combat exercise off the island’s coast in response to a recent visit by a senior US lawmaker.
The Taiwanese foreign ministry accused the Chinese military of firing missiles into the waters near Taiwan earlier in the day, saying live-fire drills threatened its national security, affected shipping and air traffic, and escalated regional tensions.
“MOFA urges the international community to condemn China’s military coercion towards Taiwan. The Ministry also calls on countries around the globe to continue to speak up in support of democratic Taiwan,” the ministry said in a statement.
Tensions between China and the island it claims as its territory boiled over this week after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ignored Beijing’s warnings and went ahead with her plan to visit Taipei while on an Asia tour. She is the highest-ranking US official to come to Taiwan in 14 years. The US does not officially recognize Taiwan’s independence.
With UNI Inputs…
