China announced on Tuesday August 17 that it had launched military air and sea exercises "
in the vicinity
" of the island of Taiwan, which it claims, an operation presented as a response to
American and Taiwanese
"
provocations
".
Read also: The Taiwan Strait, the perfect theater for the next world war
These maneuvers come after the announcement of a sale of American arms in Taipei and press articles reporting the willingness of the Taiwanese authorities to participate in
Joe Biden's “
democracy summit
”.
"Interference by foreign forces"
"
The People's Liberation Army has deployed warships, anti-submarine planes and fighter jets in the vicinity of sea and air spaces in the southwest and southeast of the island of Taiwan.
" , said Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese Army's Eastern Operation Zone.
"
The United States and Taiwan have recently increased the provocations
", these exercises being "
a solemn response
" to "
the interference of foreign forces
" and supporters of independence of the territory, he denounced.
Read also: Taiwan: record incursion of 25 Chinese military planes
The press release does not specify the number of soldiers, planes or ships mobilized for these maneuvers, nor at what distance from the Taiwanese coast they take place.
Taiwan has 23 million inhabitants and enjoys a democratic political system.
The territory has been ruled since 1945 by a regime (the “
Republic of China
”) which had withdrawn there after the Communists' victory in mainland China in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war.
The “
People's Republic of China
”, based in Beijing and led by the Communist Party, regards the island as part of its territory.
It threatens to use force in the event of a declaration of independence.
Towards a new Sino-American diplomatic crisis?
The US State Department gave the green light in early August for the first arms sale to Taiwan of the Biden era, for 750 million dollars (633 million euros).
The tenant of the White House also announced last week that it intended to bring together foreign leaders in December for a
virtual
"
summit for democracy
": an announcement in the form of a challenge to China.
According to several Taiwanese media, Taiwan would like to be invited.
An initiative that could provoke a new Sino-American diplomatic crisis.
Beijing also blasted the Taiwanese and Lithuanian authorities after the July opening in Vilnius of a “
Taiwan representative office
”, not “
Taipei
”.
Read also: Taiwan, South China Sea ... the risk of destabilizing incidents is increasing between Beijing and Washington
China sees this new formulation as an attempt to promote Taiwanese independence.
She recalled her ambassador to Lithuania and the Lithuanian ambassador was asked to leave Chinese territory.