China has announced that a week of military drills that occurred around Taiwan are finished following Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-governing island. China’s military announced that the sea and air operations were successful. These groups have vowed to keep patrolling the Taiwan Strait, threatening Taiwan’s sense of autonomy. Nancy Pelosi’s trip incentivized Beijing to back away from Taiwan for the time being as it views the country to be a breakaway province that should be reunited with the mainland. Taiwan has long accused China of using military drills as practices for an invasion of the autonomous country.
Taiwan rejects Chinese claims of sovereignty. Nancy Pelosi is the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan since the 1990s. Pelosi’s trip still occurred despite warnings from China not to visit last week. The People’s Liberation Army confirmed that it would continue to conduct regular combat patrols in the Taiwan Strait despite the trip. When Pelosi’s visit was announced, China conducted live-fire exercises, anti-submarine attacks, and other military training in retaliation. Although these drills may be over, Taiwan reported that it identified 36 Chinese military aircraft and 10 ships operating around the strait on Wednesday.
Read More: China says Taiwan military drills are over after Pelosi visit