De-escalation difficult for US and China, say analysts, amid widespread support in Taiwan for potential trip
Reported plans for the US House speaker,, to visit Taiwan could spark one of the most perilous moments in cross-strait relations for decades, analysts have warned.
China’s Communist party government claims that democratically self-ruled Taiwan is a breakaway province which must be “reunited” with the mainland, ideally peacefully but by force if necessary.the US military did not want Pelosi to visitSuch drastic military action by China is not considered likely, but on Tuesday China’s defence ministry said it would “not sit idly by”.
Analysts said the US administration’s response to the plans and China’s reaction meant it was difficult to de-escalate the situation without either China or the US appearing weak. Speaking during the exercises, the defence ministry spokesperson, Sun Li-fang, said Taiwan was monitoring movements of Chinese warships and aircraft around the island, some of which were detected near Taiwan’s south-east. The drills occur annually and are unrelated to the current tensions over Pelosi’s visit.
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