Even as the Chinese military conducted extensive manoeuvres surrounding Taiwan on Friday in reaction to an American senator’s visit to the island, a senior Chinese general cautioned his US counterpart that any “wanton” act of provocation will be greeted with “strong countermeasures.”
The eastern theatre command said in a statement on Friday that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had carried out extensive drills, including cross-service joint alert patrol and “realistic combat-scenario exercises in marine and aerial spaces near the Taiwan Strait.”
The exercise seems to be a warning to the United States regarding Senator Rick Scott’s upcoming three-day trip to Taiwan, where he is anticipated to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen.
According to the statement, the US general emphasised how crucial it is for the PLA to “engage in serious discourse on strengthening crisis communications and lowering strategic risk.” Their talk also included “a productive discussion of a variety of regional and global security problems.”
Beijing does not rule out using force to recapture the autonomous island since it sees it as Chinese property.
The PLA has stepped up its military drills surrounding the island, accusing the US of inflaming the situation by selling armaments and sending representatives to Taipei.
