China said it has completed air and naval exercises around Taiwan following the recent visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island but will “continue to carry out military training for war preparedness” in the future.
In a written statement released Wednesday, Senior Col. Shi Yi, a spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said the maneuvers wrapped up “with all tasks accomplished and the troops’ combat capabilities in integrated joint operations effectively verified.”
“The troops under the PLA Eastern Theater Command will pay close attention to the evolution of situations across the Taiwan Strait,” Col. Shi wrote.
Beijing extended the exercises after Mrs. Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last week. The maneuvers included the launch of ballistic missiles and simulated sea and air attacks around the island.
“Clearly the [People’s Republic of China] is trying to coerce Taiwan, clearly they’re trying to coerce the international community. All I’ll say is we’re not going to take the bait and it’s not going to work,” Undersecretary of Defense Colin Kahl told reporters Monday at the Pentagon. “It’s a manufactured crisis [but] that doesn’t mean we have to play into that.”
U.S. officials said the Biden administration’s “One China” policy hasn’t changed in light of Mrs. Pelosi’s visit or Beijing’s reaction.
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• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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