OUR Taiwan puts her air defenses on standby as tensions escalate in her relationship with her China, in the midst ofscenarios for Nancy Pelosi’s visit on the island, a move that Beijing has made clear it considers hostile, threatening that it “will not sit idly by”.
The scene that has unfolded over the past 24 hours raises new concerns about the possibility of a Chinese attack. China considers Taiwan its own territory and has increased its air and sea military presence around it.
Taiwan, for its part, is committed to defending its territory and has made it a priority to strengthen its defenses through regular military and civil defense exercises.
Taiwan prepares for attack
The preparations include marking out shelters where citizens can take shelter in the event of a missile attack from China — not in purpose-built bunkers, but in underground spaces such as parking lots, an underground railway and underground shopping malls.
There are more than 4,600 such shelters in the capital city of Taipei, which can accommodate about 12 million people, more than four times its population.
18-year-old Harmony Wu was surprised to learn that the underground mall where she and other young people recently rehearsed a dance would turn into a bomb shelter in the event of war.
But, as he says, he understands the reasons.
“Having shelters is very important. We don’t know when a war might happen, and that’s for our safety. War is cruel. We have not encountered this, so we are not ready,” says Wu.
Taipei officials are updating the database of designated shelters, putting their whereabouts on a mobile app and campaigning through social media and posters to let citizens know where the nearest shelter is.
At the entrances to the shelters there is a yellow sign, almost the size of an A4 sheet, which indicates the maximum number of people they can accommodate.
A senior official at the Taipei agency in charge of shelters says the events unfolding in Europe have created a sense of urgency.
“Look at the war in Ukraine,” Buildings Management Agency director Abercrombie Young told Reuters. “There is no guarantee that innocent citizens will not be targeted. All citizens should be informed about crises… We need shelters in case the Chinese Communists attack,” he adds, explaining why the public needs to be informed.
China is tightening the rope
Several Chinese Air Force fighter jets flew close to an imaginary line in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.
According to the first source, Chinese warships have been near an unofficial buffer zone in the strait since Monday. The source added that the Taiwanese government sent military aircraft to the area to monitor the situation.
In addition, videos posted on social media show China moving military forces to the city of Xiamen in Fujian province, across from Taiwan.
The footage appeared on #Chinese television showing how the Chinese military forces are pulling military equipment into #Fujian province near #Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/5rwqDw4Sq9
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 2, 2022
There appears to be a large amount of PLA military equipment in/around the area. #Fujian area this morning…
— Intel Crab (@IntelCrab) August 2, 2022
📹| Chinese social media users continue to share photos of military action in #Fujian region.
▪️It is alleged that there are many armored vehicles belonging to the Chinese army on the streets of the city. #Xiamen city. pic.twitter.com/vxcAiLYEKZ
— EHA News (@eha_news) August 2, 2022
Diplomatic thriller about Pelosi’s visit
All of the above is happening ahead of a possible visit by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. Chinese diplomatic spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing is in talks with Washington on the issue.
Hua Chunying warned that the US would be “responsible” for Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and would be asked to “pay the price”.
“There is no doubt that the United States will be responsible (for the consequences) and will have to pay the price for insulting the sovereignty and security of China,” a Chinese diplomatic representative told reporters.
Yesterday, Nancy Pelosi launched a four-country Asian tour from Singapore and is expected to defy Beijing’s ire by visiting Taiwan.
The US Air Force plane carrying the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Malaysia took off from Kuala Lumpur, Flightradar24 reports. However, it has not yet been confirmed that Nancy Pelosi will be on the plane.
According to APE-MPE, Reuters
Source: Kathimerini
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.