Despite Beijing’s warnings and threats, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan late Tuesday, sparking an angry show of military force.
Our delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy.
Our discussions with Taiwan leadership reaffirm our support for our partner & promote our shared interests, including advancing a free & open Indo-Pacific region.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 2, 2022
This is the most important visit of US officials to Taiwan since 1997, which is perceived by China as an affront and a provocation; which will set the tone of increasing confrontation in future diplomatic relations with the US.
Beijing’s response was the multiplication of patrol flights and military training exercises around Taiwan, from the moment the plane carrying the US diplomat approached the island.
The Republic of China’s Ministry of National Defense (ROC) reported that 27 Chinese warplanes were detected flying over the Taiwan Strait today, which is when Nancy Pelosi met with the republic’s President Tsai Ing-wen.
The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) managed to identify the following fighter jets:
- 5 J-11 (Chinese version of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker)
- 6 J-16 (aircraft developed from the Su-30MKK)
- 16 Sukhoi Su-30MKK
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. ???????? (@MoNDefense) August 3, 2022
These PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) fighter jets were accompanied by ROCAF fighters and monitored by Taiwanese air defense systems at all times.
In addition to the fighters, Beijing also deployed a variety of naval assets around the island and even mobilized batteries of DF-17 hypersonic anti-ship missiles to positions closer to the coast.
