US and China lash out at each other over military exercise near Taiwan -

Beijing/Washington: While the entire world’s focus is on the Russia-Ukraine war, there is tension brewing near Taiwan. On Tuesday, a US naval destroyer seems to have provoked China by sailing through the Taiwan Strait. The US State Department has decided to remove Taiwan from being a part of China from its website. Infuriated by this, China deputed its planes and helicopters into the Taiwan Strait and carried out about 100 sorties. China has criticized the United States for meddling and political interference.

Last week, a Chinese Liaoning aircraft carrier sailed past the Okinawa Islands in Japan and later close to Taiwanese territorial waters. The Japanese media had claimed that the patrolling of the Chinese warship was a provocation for Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Earlier, about 18 Chinese fighter jets infiltrated Taiwan’s airspace.

International analysts suggest that China is preparing to launch an attack on Taiwan, and the movement of the warships and fighter jets are indicative of that. Since then, the United States has increased its deployment of warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and guided-missile destroyers in Japan. It was quite evident that the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Ronal Reagan in Japan was for the security of Taiwan. Avril Haines, the Director of the US National Intelligence, has expressed a high possibility of a China invading Taiwan. In such a scenario, for the security of Taiwan, the US Navy will be able to deploy its aircraft carrier vessel without any delay. If the deployment is done from the US or any other US naval base in the Indo-Pacific region, the response could be delayed. As per reports in the Japanese daily, the USS Ronald Reagan has been deployed in Japan to cut down on time to reach the Taiwan Strait.

Following additional deployment in Japan, the US State Department has decided to deliver a significant blow to China’s ‘One China Policy’. The US State Department has removed Taiwan from being a part of China from its website. Hours later, the USS Port Royal sailed through the Taiwan Strait. China is infuriated by these developments. China has always claimed Taiwan to be a part of its sovereign territory. China has criticized the US for interfering in the Taiwan issue and accused the US of needlessly and repeatedly provoking by playing such tricks. However, the United States, which has deployed naval forces to protect Taiwan, refused to supply Taiwan with arms and defence equipment. Since then, there has been a significant increase in China’s anti-Taiwan activities.