Pelosi met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei today, where she pledged continued US support for the island's democracy. 'There is still time for the concerted energies of the free world to make it clear to Xi that his agenda to annexe Taiwan and impose unaccountable totalitarian rule on 23 million citizens of a vibrant democracy will never be allowed to succeed.' He may be counting in this as an element in his current campaign of bluff and coercive pressures on a global front. 'Xi could, if he felt compelled to do so by threats to his personal authority, authorise such an assault at very little notice indeed. Then the rest of the world could protest and sanction to no avail. 'We should not rule out the possibility of sudden, devastating missile attacks on the central government that would bring a rapid collapse of resistance. But confidence and resilience is growing, and Xi will not welcome this. 'Xi could bring down the Taiwanese government by blockading the island which depends heavily on imported food and other staples. He continued: 'Xi is already using the whole gamut of coercive state powers- including hostile military activity, to try to erode Taiwanese resolve and that of Taiwan's supporters. While the risk of immediate conflict around Taiwan is low, Mr Henderson added that 'it would be an error to assume that the Xi regime is able to hold back from disastrous adventurism when it has painted itself into such a corner over the right to 'reunite' with Taiwan, whose people want nothing of the kind and which the liberal world must not allow.' This was the case 'because it will be difficult for China to confront the United States without Russia's support.' 'I am convinced that in this case China hopes for a certain assistance from Russia,' he said. There is concern in Moscow that Putin's wooing of China has failed to produce better results in support for his war in Ukraine.Ĭlose Putin ally Dzhabarov made clear that Russia will ready back China in any conflict over disputed island Taiwan, revelling in an anti-Western alliance. 'It means that we should have some benefits from this cooperation.' 'But I would like to see a two-way movement with China. 'I see no grounds to refuse to help China,' said the politician who is first deputy chairman of the international committee in Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament. 'It would be as well to assume that in the run-up to the Party Congress, when he intends to secure permanent autocracy, Xi will be willing to take significantly greater risks than 'Ī leading Russian senator has vowed that Vladimir Putin will come to China's aid if it goes to war over Taiwan.īut Vladimir Dzhabarov also pleaded for more support from Beijing for the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. Matthew Henderson, associate fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, told MailOnline: 'Xi has made so-called 're-unification' with Taiwan his chosen cause and hoped-for legacy as China's greatest leader since Mao. Xi Jinping has reacted furiously to Pelosi's visit - the most-senior US politician to go to Taiwan in the last 25 years - which comes weeks before he is due to assume an historic third term as China's leader at the Party Congress. Meanwhile, the G7 condemned the military drills announced by China around the island, saying in a statement: 'There is no justification to use a visit as pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait.' We have the capacity and the will to uphold our valued liberty and democracy, and maintain our region's stability,' the generals added. We are not eager for a fight, nor will we shy away from one. The incursion comes amidst huge Chinese war games taking place until Sunday, which will surround the island in an effective blockade and cross into Taiwan's territorial waters.īut Taipei's generals have defied the threats, saying today that they are not looking for a fight with China but 'won't shy away from one' either. 'We are resolved to uphold our sovereignty, liberty and democracy' they said in a statement posted alongside a video of fighter jets, submarines, attack helicopters and warships on manoeuvres. In total, 27 fighters including 16 Russian-made Su-30 jets crossed into the zone, which prompted defensive measures from Taipei. Dozens of Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan's air defence zone today, shortly after Nancy Pelosi flew out of the country following a diplomatic visit that infuriated Beijing and drew threats of military retaliation.
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