Taiwan’s defense ministry says that a new round of Chinese military drills are a chance to train. That was the word from the defense ministry on Tuesday, after China announced it will conduct military exercises in response to a US Congressional delegation that just visited Taiwan.
US Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Taiwan on Sunday and Monday. That came only 12 days after a high profile visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In response to China’s announced exercises, defense ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang says the ministry would monitor China’s drills from the air and sea. He says Taiwan’s armed forces are ready to defend Taiwan and that these provocative moves by China are an opportunity to train.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry on Tuesday said China’s drills were an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. It says China is manufacturing a crisis and calls on other nations to condemn Beijing’s actions.
The ministry called on China to stop heightening tensions across the Taiwan Strait and threatening the security of the region.