Taiwan official says China trying to set a 'red line' for incoming Trump government

Date:

Share post:


By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) – China is trying to set a “red line” for the incoming Trump administration and U.S. allies by stepping up military activities in the region, a senior Taiwan security official said, including likely war games this weekend around the island.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory over Taipei’s rejection, has held two rounds of war games around the island so far this year, and its forces operate nearby on a daily basis.

Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox

See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.

The official confirmed concerns expressed by other security officials in the region who have previously told Reuters that China could launch new drills to coincide with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s trip to the Pacific this week which included visits to Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam.

“They want to clearly establish that the First Island Chain is China’s red line and its sphere of control before the new U.S. government takes office on Jan. 20,” the official told a briefing in Taipei, offering the government’s assessment of China’s activities.

The First Island Chain is an area that runs from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China’s coastal seas.

Neither China’s Taiwan Affairs Office nor its defence ministry responded to a request for comment.

The Taiwan official, briefing on condition of anonymity to be able to speak more freely, said China could launch new war games shortly before or after Lai’s return to Taipei from the Pacific on Friday.

“They want to tell the new U.S. government that this area is controlled by China and that you must discuss with China everything that happens here,” the official said, pointing to recent Chinese military activities around Taiwan including joint manoeuvres with Russia near the island’s east coast earlier this week.

“They want other countries – the United States or Europe – to know that this is their sphere of influence and that they should be taken seriously.”

China has deployed close to 40 vessels in the region this week, including a Chinese aircraft carrier group led by Liaoning in the East China Sea as well as other naval and coastguard boats in the South China Sea.

Reuters first reported that a north bound Russian naval fleet on Monday approached close to Taiwan’s contiguous zone 24 nautical miles (45 km) off its southeastern coasts and conducted joint simulated attacks on “foreign vessels and aircraft” with a Chinese destroyer nearby.

China urged the United States last week to exercise the “utmost caution” on relations with Taiwan, ahead of Lai’s Pacific tour. Beijing opposes any foreign interactions or visits by Taiwan leaders.

Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.

(Reporting By Yimou Lee; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

Hannah Kobayashi found alive after father’s suicide

Ms Kobayashi, a budding photographer from Maui, set off on a “bucket list” trip to New York...

Kevin Johnson: US boxer fighting for Putin's Russia

US heavyweight Kevin Johnson came close to the top of the boxing world before his star dimmed....

Trump picks hardline Republican Kari Lake to lead Voice of America

(Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was picking Kari Lake, a former news anchor...

Hannah Kobayashi Case: Why Police May Never Learn What Happened to Her

Originally appeared on E! OnlineDetails surrounding Hannah Kobayashi’s missing persons case may never come to light.While the...

Trump invites China's Xi Jinping to attend inauguration, CBS News reports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next...

Insurance company denies covering cost of life-saving medicine for metro woman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City denied covering the cost of...

Homeland Security operation leads to pursuit, crash and arrests in St. Louis County

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A police pursuit involving two vehicles ended with a collision near I-270...

People donated $30K to Luigi Mangione's defense as experts warn donors to be careful

Though Luigi Mangione comes from a wealthy and prominent family, anonymous online donors have chipped in thousands...