The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) posted online that it will practice anti-submarine attacks and sea raids on Monday, following four days of unprecedented exercises around the self-ruled island. Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian defended the decision to suspend the military channels, saying in an online post on Monday: “The current tense situation in the Taiwan Strait is caused and created entirely by the US side on its own initiative, and the US side he must bear full responsibility and serious consequences for it. “The essence cannot be broken, and communication requires honesty,” Wu said. Pelosi’s visit last week angered China, which claims Taiwan as its own and responded by test-firing ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, as well as abandoning some lines of dialogue with Washington. Four days of exercises were scheduled to end on Sunday, but Chinese authorities have not officially confirmed this, sparking fears among some security analysts that the situation in the Taiwan Strait, particularly near the unofficial middle line, could escalate further. About 10 warships from China and Taiwan maneuvered at close range around the line on Sunday, according to a person familiar with the situation and involved in security planning. The island’s defense ministry said Chinese military ships, aircraft and drones had simulated attacks on the island and its navy. He said he had sent aircraft and ships to respond “appropriately”. China suspended formal talks involving theater-level commands, defense policy coordination and military maritime consultations on Friday as Pelosi left the region. Pentagon, State Department and White House officials condemned the move, calling it an irresponsible overreaction. China’s severance of some of its few communications links with the US military raises the risk of an accidental escalation in Taiwan at a critical time, according to security analysts and diplomats. A US official noted that Chinese officials did not return calls from senior Pentagon officials amid tensions last week, but that they did not see it as a formal severance of ties with senior officials such as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Asked directly about these reports, Wu said: “China’s relevant countermeasures are a necessary warning to the provocations of the United States and Taiwan and a legitimate defense of national sovereignty and security.”
