Advertisement
Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan: Japan anxious over China drills as North Korea slams ‘interference’ and Seoul calls for calm
- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has sparked fears in Tokyo about Chinese military drills in ‘Japan’s exclusive economic zone’
- Meanwhile, Pyongyang said it ‘fully supported’ Beijing’s position on Pelosi’s trip, as South Korea called for dialogue to maintain peace and stability
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
10
Japan on Wednesday expressed concern to China over its military drills in waters around Taiwan amid US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit, as North Korea slammed Washington’s “imprudent interference” and South Korea called for calm.
Pelosi, second in line to the US presidency, landed in Taiwan late on Tuesday, becoming the highest-profile elected American official to visit the self-ruled island in 25 years.
China has made clear that it regards her presence as a major provocation, launching increasingly stark warnings and threats – including military exercises this week that will incorporate long-range live ammunition shooting in the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from mainland China.
“The maritime areas announced by the Chinese side as those to be used for military exercises … overlaps with Japan’s exclusive economic zone,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
Advertisement
“Considering the live-fire training nature of this military activity, Japan has expressed concerns to the Chinese side,” he said, referring specifically to drills beginning on Thursday.
Parts of Japan’s southernmost island region Okinawa are close to Taiwan, as are islets at the centre of a long-running dispute between Tokyo and Beijing.
Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day seize the island, by force if necessary.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x