Taiwan thanks G7 for supporting regional peace & stability amid China's growing aggression

A day after Group of Seven (G7) countries appealed to Chinese government to refrain from taking any coercive action against Taiwan in line with US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen took to Twitter and expressed gratitude to G7 members for supporting Taiwan. In post, she said Taiwan remained "committed to defending status quo and our hard-earned democracy." "Thank you to #G7 for supporting regional peace & stability. #Taiwan is committed to defending status quo & our hard-earned democracy. We’ll work with like-minded partners to maintain a free & open Indo-Pacific," she said.  

Earlier on Wednesday, G7 foreign ministers and EU's high representative for foreign and security policy issued a joint statement to express concerns about threatening actions by People's Republic of China (PRC). According to G7 members, live-fire exercises and punitive ecomic measures anunced by Beijing risked unnecessary escalation and urged Chinese government to refrain from taking such actions against independent state. Despite concerns raised by G7 members, Chinese media confirmed anuncement of military exercises from August 4-7 in six areas near Taiwan.

After Pelosi's plane touched down in Taiwan for a 19-hour visit, Beijing anunced to halt natural sand exports to Taipei. Also, it suspends import of certain food products from island. Reacting to China's anuncement, G7 members underscored Beijing's escalators' riposte stakes increasing uncertainties and could destabilise region. "re is justification to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in Taiwan Strait," ded joint statement.

China sent 27 aircraft to IZ

It is crucial to te here that Chinese government h warned Taiwan of a dramatic situation over allowing Pelosi to visit Taipei. It sent 27 aircraft to Taiwan's air defence identification zone (IZ) hours after Pelosi's plane left Taipei. Despite staunch warning of any untoward situation, US Speaker visited country and left for America on Wednesday. On or hand, Pelosi issued a statement describing her tour as a "strong statement that America stands with Taiwan." She said that visit is part of broer travels in Indo-Pacific, focused on security, prosperity and governance - on which Taiwan is a global leer.

China continue to lecture US over Pelosi's Taiwan visit

dressing a press conference on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dubbed Pelosi's visit "unhealthy" for "democracy" and ded her visit only provoked and violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "What Pelosi has done is definitely t a defence and maintenance of democracy, but a provocation and violation of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While Pelosi is one performing this grandstanding act, it is China-US relationship and peace and stability in region that is taking ir toll," Chunying said after her departure.

Im: Twitter/@iingwen