• China Sends Naval Force to Taiwan as Revenge for US Contacts

    From 68g.1499@21:1/5 to All on Sat Jan 27 18:42:22 2024
    XPost: alt.politics, alt.defense, alt.politics.republicans

    https://www.dw.com/en/china-steps-up-military-pressure-on-taiwan-after-us-visit/a-68099892

    Beijing has sent 33 fighter jets and a group of six naval vessels
    toward Taiwan, the island's Defense Ministry said on Saturday,
    adding that Taiwan responded by deploying its own forces.

    The number of daily warplane deployments marked a new high since
    Taiwan held its democratic presidential and legislative elections
    on January 13.

    The increased military pressure from Beijing came as two US
    Congressmen wrapped up a three-day visit to Taiwan on Friday.
    Ami Bera and Mario Diaz-Balart had come as the first official
    US delegation since the election of William Lai Ching-te as
    Taiwan's new president.

    13 of the 33 Chinese fighter jets crossed the unofficial median
    line in the Taiwan Strait that separates Taiwan and China, the
    ministry said.

    Moreover, the ministry reported that two Chinese balloons
    crossed the line and then disappeared while flying to the
    northern and southern parts of the island.

    . . .

    "Disappeared" ??? Probably dropped some Spy Stuff.

    Anyway, six ships is not exactly an armada. Not a
    great thing, but hardly an invasion-in-progress
    either.

    If we get a GOP president, one of the first things
    to do is visit Taiwan personally. It'd make a
    statement China might respect more than 3rd-level
    types visiting.

    Xi has to keep PROMISING to "re-unify", but that does
    not mean he ever has to DO it. There's really not
    much material gain involved, the electronics works
    would be sabotaged, so it'd be mostly "appearances".

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