Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the senior US official arrived in Seoul on Wednesday night as part of her Asian tour. The congresswoman, who is second in line for the US presidency, will meet on Thursday with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and the leaders of the ruling conservative People’s Power Party, as well as the opposition Democratic Party of Korea . However, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol does not plan to meet with Pelosi as he is currently on summer vacation, a presidential office official told SCMP. The official denied earlier press reports that Yoon, who is taking a break at his home in Seoul, might go to welcome Pelosi. In the first place, there was no such plan (for Yoon’s meeting with Pelosi) as the president’s vacation schedule coincides with her visit here.” The presidential office “welcomes” Pelosi’s visit to South Korea and hopes her talks with National Assembly Chairman Kim will be productive, the official said. Asked about Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan, she said: “Our administration’s position is that we will maintain close communication with the nations concerned on all issues under the banner of the need for peace and stability in the region through dialogue and cooperation.” Speculation grew on social media. “Because of vacation? No way. Yun does not meet Pelosi as she is a nun in China,” one post read. If this had happened to Yoon’s predecessor – the liberal former president Moon Jae-in – conservatives and the media would have “raised hell with him” and accused Moon of hermiting around Beijing, the post added.
China Claims Taiwan Territory as ‘Historical Inevitability’, Says Former UK Ambassador
China’s former ambassador to the UK issued a scathing statement overnight, warning the US to stop obstructing China’s “great cause of reunification” and describing the process as a “historic inevitability”. Liu Xiaoming said: The United States should not imagine that it stands in the way of the great cause of China’s reunification. Taiwan is part of China. The realization of full national reunification is the general trend and a historical inevitability. We will never leave room for the disintegration of “Taiwan independence” and interference by outside forces. No matter how the US supports and condones “Taiwan independence”, it will ultimately be a sham and will only leave more ugly records of US blatant interference in other countries’ internal affairs in history. The Taiwan issue was born out of the country’s weakness and chaos, and will surely end with the nation’s rejuvenation in the future.” The United States should not imagine that it stands in the way of the great cause of China’s reunification. Taiwan is part of China. The realization of full national reunification is the general trend and a historical inevitability. We will never leave any room for the disintegration of “Taiwan independence” and interference by outside forces. No matter how the US supports and condones “Taiwan independence”, it will ultimately be a sham and will only leave more ugly records of US blatant interference in other countries’ internal affairs in history. — 刘晓明Liu Xiaoming (@AmbLiuXiaoMing) August 3, 2022
Summary and welcome
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of tensions between China and Taiwan. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments. It’s getting close to 7am in Beijing. Here’s everything you might have missed:
China is set to launch an unprecedented series of live-fire drills that will effectively blockade the island of Taiwan, hours after the departure of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose controversial visit this week sparked fears of a crisis in Taiwan Straits. Taiwan called the drills a violation of international law. The drills will last until Sunday afternoon – and will include missile tests and other “military operations” just nine miles off Taiwan’s coastline. Before the exercise, Taiwan said 27 Chinese warplanes entered the air defense zone. Pelosi arrived in Taipei on Tuesday night amid intense global scrutiny and was met by Secretary of State Joseph Wu and the US representative to Taiwan, Sandra Woodkirk. Pelosi spoke in Taiwan’s parliament on Wednesday before holding public and private meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen. “Our delegation came to Taiwan to make it clear that we will not abandon Taiwan and we are proud of our enduring friendship,” he said, adding that US solidarity with Taiwan was “critical” to countering an increasingly authoritarian China. In a later statement, she said China could not prevent world leaders from traveling to Taiwan “to respect its thriving democracy.” Pelosi’s trip drew condemnation from Beijing and sparked fears of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait. China promised “consequences” and announced military exercises in waters around the island on Thursday to show its displeasure. Taiwan’s defense ministry has accused Beijing of planning to violate the international convention on the law of the sea by infringing on Taiwan’s sovereign territory. Taiwanese authorities have said the proximity to some major ports combined with orders for all aircraft and sea vessels to move away from the area amounts to a blockade. While China’s military often conducts live-fire drills in the straits and surrounding seas, those planned for this week encircle the main island of Taiwan and target areas within its territorial sea.
China to hold a series of live-fire military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan China to hold a series of live-fire military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan Updated at 00.21 BST
