A global conflict tracker has issued a risk alert for Taiwan because of the visit to the country by United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi’s “potential visit to Taiwan in August raises the risk of an unintended crisis between the U.S. and China, after Beijing in July threatened a military response,” CrisisWatch, a monthly early warning bulletin, reported in late July.
A U.S. congressional delegation led by Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday night on a U.S. Air Force C-40C aircraft on her latest stop during a tour of Asia, making her the highest-level U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
China warned of a military response and said the visit would seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, according to the CrisisWatch report, published by the International Crisis Group.
Chinese incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) continued, totaling 70 aircraft as of 30 July, and it announced live-fire drills off the coast of Fujian province, which sits across from Taiwan, the same day, the organization’s risk alert noted.
U.S. military assets, including an aircraft carrier, were also moved closer to Taiwan at end of July, the report said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel