Taipei/Tokyo: China created a stir around the world by firing missiles into the Taiwan Strait and then in the maritime areas of Japan. China’s provocative action comes as a mark of protest against US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit. Taiwan and Japan have taken serious cognisance of this. Taiwan has also conducted exercises in response to China’s missiles and military exercises near its maritime and airspace. Taiwan has also activated its air defence system. A US-based Chinese-origin analyst has warned that China will take decisions that will stir up tensions here at any moment and the situation will not be under anyone’s control after that.
After visiting Taiwan, Nancy Pelosi visited South Korea. China fired about 11 missiles into the Taiwan Strait before she arrived in Japan. They also included Dongfeng missiles capable of sinking warships. It has been reported that some of these missiles entered Taiwan’s airspace. Although these missiles launched by China crashed in the sea and did not cause any damage, China has made the atmosphere in the region explosive.
Moreover, China had already started military exercises in six places near Taiwan. Taiwan has alleged that China is trying to corner them through these ‘live fire’ war exercises. In response, Taiwan has also organised war exercises. At the same time, Taiwan has activated its air defence system to signal that it is ready to counter a possible Chinese attack.
China also warned Japan by launching five missiles in the ‘Exclusive Economic Zone-EEZ’, the exclusive maritime area within Japan’s territory. Japan’s Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said that China had launched nine ballistic missiles in this area, five of which crashed in Japan’s EEZ. Japanese leaders had already announced that if China invaded Taiwan, Japan would jump on Taiwan’s side in the war. Also, it seems that China has threatened Japan by launching these missiles before Nancy Pelosi visited Japan. Along with this, China has also cancelled the discussion between the Foreign Ministers of China and Japan during the meeting of ASEAN countries in Cambodia. Analysts worldwide claim that China’s internal politics has a significant role in these provocative actions by China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has come under pressure due to the problems caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and the faltering economy. It is predicted that he will get a challenge from within the Communist Party, which has a monopoly over China. 
As he approaches his third term in office, these challenges are becoming increasingly difficult for Xi Jinping to overcome. In such a situation, Pelosi of the United States visited Taiwan and provoked China. However, there is criticism from China that President Jinping could not do much against the United States and Taiwan. China’s social media has begun to reflect this.
Given this internal political pressure, it has become a necessity for the Chinese president to take aggressive steps against the US and Taiwan. Some analysts are pointing out that he cannot improve his image without that. Gordon Chang, a Chinese-origin analyst in the US, has underlined this and warned that China would try to take over small islands under Taiwan’s control. Gordon Chang has warned that China’s actions will have tremendous repercussions, and then a series of terrible events will begin that no one can control.
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