China-Taiwan news: Beijing carrying out attack drills; senior Taiwanese military researcher

Here’s a summary of the latest developments as it passes 6pm in Taipei.

“,”elementId”:”9010ac7b-f5ef-49fe-93af-abebe9fe6449″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

n
• The People’s Liberation Army’s eastern theatre command said it continued on Saturday to conduct sea and air joint exercises north, southwest and east of Taiwan, as planned, Reuters reported. It said its focus was on testing the system’s land strike and sea assault capabilities.

n

• The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Saturday that China should not hold talks on important global matters such as the climate crisis “hostage”, after Beijing cut off contacts with Washington in retaliation for US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this week. Blinken spoke in an online news conference with his Philippine counterpart in Manila after meeting the newly elected president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and other top officials.

n

• Speaking at a rally in Wisconsin, the former US president Donald Trump has questioned why Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. He told supporters: “What was she doing in Taiwan? She was China’s dream, she gave them an excuse. They’ve been looking for that excuse.”

n

• Taiwan’s defence ministry has accused Chinese aircraft and ships of carrying out simulation attack exercises on its main island on Saturday. Several batches of Chinese aircraft and ships were detected in the Taiwan Strait, some of which crossed the median line – an unofficial buffer separating the two sides – according to the ministry. Taiwan’s army used patrolling naval ships and put shore-based missiles on stand-by in response.

n

• A Taiwan official who was in charge of various missile production projects was found dead on Saturday morning in a hotel room in southern Taiwan, according to the official Central News Agency. Ou Yang Li-hsing, the deputy head of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, was 57. The cause of his death is unknown, CNA reported.

n

• The US, Australian and Japanese foreign ministers have urged China to immediately cease military exercises around Taiwan. In a joint statement after meeting in Phnom Penh on the margins of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers’ gathering, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and the foreign ministers of Australia and Japan, Penny Wong and Hayashi Yoshimasa, “expressed their concern about the People’s Republic of China’s recent actions that gravely affect international peace and stability, including the use of large-scale military exercises”. They also “condemned the PRC’s launch of ballistic missiles, five of which the Japanese government reported landed in its exclusive economic zones, raising tension and destabilising the region”.

n

• Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said Chinese military drills near Taiwan were a threat to regional security. Beijing announced four days of drills that are expected to finish on Sunday. The drills are a “serious problem that impacts our national security and the safety of our citizens”, Kishida told reporters, speaking after a meeting with the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, in Tokyo on Friday.

n

• North Korea has denounced Nancy Pelosi as “the worst destroyer of international peace and stability”, after the US House speaker expressed her commitment during a visit to South Korea to achieving the North’s denuclearisation. It also condemned her trip to Taiwan.

n

• The US special envoy on climate change, John Kerry, said China’s decision to suspend bilateral talks on climate change with the US does not punish Washington, “it punishes the world”. “No country should withhold progress on existential transnational issues because of bilateral differences,” said the former US secretary of state, who is currently the Biden administration’s top climate diplomat. US national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, also told reporters that China’s decision to halt cooperation in a number of critical areas was “fundamentally irresponsible”.

n

“,”elementId”:”49e81f7f-2672-4efa-b32c-140457d68dcc”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:false,”summary”:true},”blockCreatedOn”:1659779887000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”05.58 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659780704000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”06.11 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659780254000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”06.04 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”06.04″,”title”:”Summary”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62ee350b8f08cf8820edd3e7″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The People’s Liberation Army’s eastern theatre command said it continued on Saturday to conduct sea and air joint exercises north, southwest and east of Taiwan, as planned, reports Reuters.

“,”elementId”:”bfebbd60-01d1-4f9d-820d-78d5a139f95c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

It said its focus was on testing the system’s land strike and sea assault capabilities.

“,”elementId”:”61a82788-9990-42ea-b09f-37c14d6d28fb”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Earlier on Saturday Taiwan’s defence ministry accused Chinese aircraft and ships of carrying out simulation attack exercises on its main island.

“,”elementId”:”d0c16f28-16b0-4ad4-b0a5-3c4504ae56c0″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1659778315000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”05.31 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659780948000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”06.15 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659778635000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”05.37 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”05.37″,”title”:”China restarts military drills around Taiwan”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62ee2be58f08cf33fef36474″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Saturday that China should not hold talks on important global matters such as the climate crisis “hostage”, after Beijing cut off contacts with Washington in retaliation for US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this week.

“,”elementId”:”569820d3-b247-4511-a82b-5d5d08921c60″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Blinken spoke in an online news conference with his Philippine counterpart in Manila after meeting the newly elected president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and other top officials, as relations between Washington and Beijing plummeted to their worst level in years, reports Associated Press.

“,”elementId”:”92b11e04-d094-4040-b0b1-115d0d61dd22″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The US secretary of state said:

“,”elementId”:”8e78c964-1471-4151-821f-86d698a04642″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”

n

We should not hold hostage cooperation on matters of global concern because of differences between our two countries.

n

Others are rightly expecting us to continue to work on issues that matter to the lives and livelihood of their people as well as our own.

n

“,”elementId”:”7f366b16-9258-482e-a6dd-2b26d9f4eb54″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

He added that cooperation on the climate crisis with China is vital and that shutting down contact on the issue “doesn’t punish the United States it punishes the world”.

“,”elementId”:”798054a8-0a32-4779-a248-5fa098eada9e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”

n

The world’s largest carbon emitter is now refusing to engage on combatting the climate crisis.

n

“,”elementId”:”7c5b7394-ba9d-435d-9a22-79339b81c6d8″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Pelosi visited the self-governing democracy on Wednesday, angering China who claims it as their own territory.

“,”elementId”:”12c1ff65-a804-46be-8e1d-c7a7deb7cc95″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Beijing swiftly announced sanctions against Pelosi for her “provocative” actions and cut off dialogue with the US government on Friday.

“,”elementId”:”806bf2ba-9582-42e0-a55b-00ffc4f66a0f”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1659775973000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”04.52 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659777431000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”05.17 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659776327000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”04.58 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”04.58″,”title”:”China should not hold global concerns ‘hostage’, says Blinken”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62ee0aec8f08cf33fef363f0″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The Taiwan official who was found dead in his hotel room on Saturday morning (see 5.52am) died of a heart attack, according to official media reports cited by Reuters.

“,”elementId”:”bdf67dd2-8768-493d-825c-4fe12748e258″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Authorities said there was no sign that anyone had broken into his room.

“,”elementId”:”3e1edaba-3a5a-41e2-8f2c-ec000e13ef7e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Ou Yang Li-hsing was deputy head of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, where he supervised various missile production projects. He was 57.

“,”elementId”:”676b0ee6-bd6f-473b-950c-0cc5e392e289″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TweetBlockElement”,”html”:”

A senior official leading Taiwan's missile production program died of a heart attack, according to official media. Authorities said there was no sign of an external intrusion in the hotel room of 57-year-old Ou Yang

— Yimou Lee (@YimouLee) August 6, 2022

n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/YimouLee/status/1555803195536216064″,”id”:”1555803195536216064″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”3d195c08-061b-4aad-b186-79a368270644″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:true,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1659767532000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”02.32 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659772037000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”03.47 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659767996000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”02.39 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”02.39″,”title”:”Senior Taiwan official died of heart attack, local media say”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62ee03578f08cf33fef363d8″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Here’s a summary of the latest developments as it passes 2pm in Taipei.

“,”elementId”:”1e43d3f8-cede-4668-867b-aae7bd334ec2″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

n
• Taiwan’s defence ministry has accused Chinese aircraft and ships of carrying out simulation attack exercises on its main island on Saturday. Several batches of Chinese aircraft and ships were detected in the Taiwan Strait, some of which crossed the median line, an unofficial buffer separating the two sides, according to the ministry. Taiwan’s army used patrolling naval ships and put shore-based missiles on stand-by in response.

n

• A Taiwan official who was in charge of various missile production projects was found dead on Saturday morning in a hotel room in Southern Taiwan, according to the official Central News Agency. Ou Yang Li-hsing, deputy head of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, was 57. The cause of his death is unknown, CNA reported.

n

• The US, Australian and Japanese foreign ministers have urged China to immediately cease military exercises around Taiwan. In a joint statement after meeting in Phnom Penh on the margins of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers’ gathering, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and the foreign ministers of Australia and Japan, Penny Wong and Hayashi Yoshimasa, “expressed their concern about the People’s Republic of China’s recent actions that gravely affect international peace and stability, including the use of large-scale military exercises”. They also “condemned the PRC’s launch of ballistic missiles, five of which the Japanese government reported landed in its exclusive economic zones, raising tension and destabilising the region”.

n

• Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said Chinese military drills near Taiwan, were a threat to regional security. Beijing announced four days of drills that are expected to finish on Sunday. The drills are a “serious problem that impacts our national security and the safety of our citizens,” Kishida told reporters, speaking after a meeting with the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, in Tokyo on Friday.

n

• North Korea has denounced Nancy Pelosi as “the worst destroyer of international peace and stability”, after the US House speaker expressed her commitment during a visit to South Korea to achieving the North’s denuclearisation. It also condemned her trip to Taiwan.

n

• The US special envoy on climate change John Kerry said China’s decision to suspend bilateral talks on climate change with the US does not punish Washington, “it punishes the world”. “No country should withhold progress on existential transnational issues because of bilateral differences,” said the former US secretary of state, who is currently the Biden administration’s top climate diplomat. US national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, also told reporters that China’s decision to halt cooperation in a number of critical areas was “fundamentally irresponsible”.

n

“,”elementId”:”ae2eb5a3-5376-4125-a0f9-ffb2d9daaed2″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:false,”summary”:true},”blockCreatedOn”:1659765591000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”01.59 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659765931000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”02.05 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659765894000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”02.04 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”02.04″,”title”:”Summary”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62edf3778f08cf33fef363b4″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

In response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, Beijing on Friday cancelled efforts to keep communication channels open between Chinese and US military commanders.

“,”elementId”:”c46a1198-d046-495b-9781-c3236ff54740″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

It’s feared that this raises the risk of an accidental escalation in tensions. Reuters has published some analysis on this:

“,”elementId”:”a4f77f9a-8162-4023-b128-1f4aa066bd5e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”

n

Christopher Twomey, a security scholar at the US Naval Postgraduate School in California, told Reuters the severing of the communication links was worrying, coming at what he believed was the beginning of a new Taiwan crisis.

n

“That is precisely the time you would want to have more opportunities to talk to the other side … Losing those channels greatly reduces the ability of the two sides to de-conflict military forces as various exercises and operations continue.”

n

As Chinese warships, fighter jets and drones manoeuvre around Taiwan, at least four powerful US vessels, including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and the guided missile cruiser USS Antietam are east of Taiwan, Reuters has confirmed.

Bonnie Glaser, a Washington-based security analyst with the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said, more broadly, prospects were “extremely low for holding talks on risk reduction measures or stability”. Over time, she said she expected the specific talks called off this week would resume but “right now, China has to signal toughness and resolve”.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Chinese officials had not responded to calls from senior Pentagon officials this week but that was seen as China showing displeasure over Pelosi’s trip rather than the severing of the channel between senior defence officials, including US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Austin pushed for improved communication between the rival forces when he met Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of Shangri-la Dialogue security meeting in Singapore in June.

Both Asian and Western diplomats said US military chiefs had been pushing for more frequent theatre-level command talks for some time, given China’s growing deployments across Asia, where the US navy has traditionally been the dominant power.

The Pentagon said on Friday that China was overreacting and the US was still open to building crisis communication mechanisms.

n

“,”elementId”:”908d60d6-91ad-4eea-a642-5dca0ba69357″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1659761527000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”00.52 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1659764906000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”01.48 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1659763692000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”01.28 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”01.28″,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sat 6 Aug 2022 07.15 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Fri 5 Aug 2022 22.42 EDT”},{“id”:”62edeee38f08cf8820edd2e8″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

The deputy head of Taiwan defence ministry’s research and development unit has been found dead in a hotel in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, according to the official Central News Agency.

“,”elementId”:”6c5ad8f8-22a6-4ee2-aa42-3024ed9a0d43″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Ou Yang Li-hsing, deputy head of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, was 57. The cause of his death is unknown, CNA reported.

“,”elementId”:”381a37f6-ab0d-40ff-8648-bf4d45b02dec”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

Ou Yang, who was in charge of various missile production projects, had been on a business trip to…