By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s prime China policymaker on Wednesday mentioned Chinese language navy threats would solely drive the 2 sides additional aside, as state media within the island’s big neighbour warned of a robust response to a U.S. go to by Taiwan’s president.
China, which claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its personal territory, has expressed anger at President Lai Ching-te’s weekend journey to Hawaii on his method to three nations within the Pacific that keep formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.
Lai, who can also be as a result of spend one night time within the U.S. territory of Guam on Wednesday, is making what are formally solely stopovers. Nonetheless, he spent two days in Hawaii the place he met the governor, gave speeches and visited a World Battle Two memorial.
Safety sources have informed Reuters that China might stage new warfare video games round Taiwan as early as this weekend in response to the journey.
Chatting with reporters in Taipei, Mainland Affairs Council minister Chiu Chui-cheng mentioned Lai’s journey to consolidate friendship with different nations was one thing Taiwan’s public assist.
“But the Chinese communists threaten Taiwan with military hegemony, which I think is something our citizens do not agree with,” he mentioned.
“This will only cause cross-strait relations to drift further and further away, and which will not be helpful to ties in the future.”
The worldwide neighborhood ought to take China’s navy drills and threats critically, he added.
Lai and his authorities reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims and say they’ve a proper to have interaction with the remainder of the world.
China calls Lai a “separatist” and has staged two rounds of warfare video games round Taiwan since he took workplace in Could. China’s navy additionally operates round Taiwan every day.
‘STRONG COUNTERMEASURES’
In a commentary on its web site on Wednesday, Chinese language state tv mentioned the actual objective of Lai’s transits was to “rely on the United States to seek independence” which reveals he’s the actual destroyer of peace within the Taiwan Strait.
“Lai is well aware that his ‘transit’ in the United States is bound to meet with resolute opposition and strong countermeasures from the mainland side, which will only aggravate the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait,” it mentioned.
Taiwan presidents usually make transit stops in the US on the best way to and from faraway allies within the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean in what the US says is a routine observe completed for security and comfort causes.
Chinese language state tv mentioned that was merely an excuse for Taiwan to “legitimise” the journey.
“It is pushing Taiwan step by step into an even more dangerous situation,” it added.
Chatting with reporters in parliament in Taipei, Taiwan Nationwide Safety Bureau Director-Normal Tsai Ming-yen famous a current uptick in Chinese language navy actions within the area, together with joint workouts with Russia final week close to Japan.
Tsai mentioned China was probably making an attempt to realize two issues.
“One is to test the bottom line of the United States and its allies during the U.S. transition of power,” he mentioned, referring to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration subsequent month.
“The second is that the Chinese communists’ military is still in the process of purging its generals internally, and is using the training to divert domestic attention.”
China’s defence ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The ministry mentioned final week that Miao Hua, a top-ranking navy official had been suspended and was underneath investigation for “serious violations of discipline”.
China’s navy has undergone a sweeping anti-corruption purge since final yr, with at the very least 9 Folks’s Liberation Military generals and a handful of defence business executives faraway from the nationwide legislative physique.