China responded to Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan with a massive show of military force on Thursday. Beijing launched a series of brazen military exercises which saw around 10 Chinese naval ships crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line while fighter jets also broke the unofficial boundary, sources said. Japan reported that five ballistic missiles landed in Japanese waters in its exclusive economic zone, causing the government to file a diplomatic protest to the Chinese government, according to The New York Times.
The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV also bragged that the People’s Liberation Army carried out live-fire exercises and “precision strikes” on eastern areas of the strait. Defense officials in Taiwan reported that “a number” of Dongfeng ballistic missiles splashed down in the waters off the coast of the island on Thursday afternoon. The worrying escalation in maneuvers comes the day after House Speaker Pelosi departed Taiwan following a visit which infuriated Chinese authorities, who see Taiwan as part of their own territory. Read more.
In response to the latest news reports indicating that China launched a number of ballistic missiles near Taiwan that landed in Japanese waters and off the coast near Taiwan, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chuckled and told reporters on Thursday that, “Those Chinese missiles apparently landed in the water and missed their mark. Hmmm, those Chinese ballistic missiles aren’t so accurate after all! No wonder I almost burned my finger off trying to launch a bottle rocket on July 4th! It was made in China!”
Don’t poke the panda!!!