The Chinese military announced exercises around Taiwan on Saturday in a new act of retaliation for a meeting between the U.S. House of Representatives speaker and the president of the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory.
The People’s Liberation Army said the three-day “combat readiness patrols” were a warning to Taiwanese who want to make the island’s de facto independence permanent. It gave no indication whether they might include a repeat of previous exercises that included firing missiles into the sea, which disrupted shipping and airline flights.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks with President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday in California, adding to a series of foreign lawmakers who have met Tsai to show support in the face of Chinese intimidation. Beijing responded Friday by imposing a travel ban and financial sanctions against American groups and individuals associated with Tsai’s U.S. visit.
Taiwan split with China after a civil war in 1949. The ruling Communist Party says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing says contact with foreign officials encourages Taiwanese who want formal independence, a step the ruling party says would lead to war.
“This is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation between the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external forces,” said a PLA statement. The “Joint Sword” exercises are a “necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Source: france24
In other news – Gogo Skhotheni-Dlamini launches her podcast on YouTube titled, Venting
Gogo Skhotheni-Dlamini launched her podcast on YouTube titled, Venting. The traditional healer who recently had a fight with Gogo Maweni has long desired to start a podcast.
I’ve always wanted to do a podcast especially when I saw the differences that we have when it comes to spirituality and the way we speak about it on social media. We argue, instead of understanding each other,” she said. Learn more
