BEIJING: Chinese countermeasures in response to U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan region are a necessary warning against the provocations made by the U.S. and “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said.
The countermeasures are a legitimate defense of national sovereignty and security, which are completely reasonable, appropriate and proportionate, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry, said. Wu made the comment amid U.S. media reports from last week saying that Pentagon chiefs’ calls to China go unanswered.
Wu said that the U.S. side must bear full responsibility and serious consequences for its provocation and accused Washington of creating the current tense situation in the Taiwan Straits.
China announced eight countermeasures on August 5 including cancelling the China-U.S. Defense Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT), China-U.S. Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) meetings and China-U.S. Theater Commanders Talk.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday also called the military drills around Taiwan “legitimate and reasonable,” saying they are being conducted in an open, transparent and professional manner.
Spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted the military drills are a strong deterrent, aiming at safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stopping the United States’ attempt to use Taiwan to contain China and shattering the Taiwan authorities’ fantasy to pursue Taiwan independence by soliciting the support of the United States.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
