US lawmakers visit Taiwan; China conducts military patrols | China contacts Pakistan for US summit

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command has continued organizing naval and air forces to patrol with combat readiness in the Taiwan Straits, and such actions are necessary in response to the cross-Straits situation, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said on Friday. On the same day, a US congressional delegation is in the island of Taiwan for a visit, the second such delegation in November. The PLA Eastern Theater Command’s action on Friday is apparently targeting the US’ interference in the Taiwan question, analysts said. The PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted similar patrols in response to a group of US congressmen’s visit to the island of Taiwan on November 9. It is possible that the PLA was waiting for the US congressmen’s plane when they entered the self-proclaimed southwest air defense identification zone of the island of Taiwan and saw them leaving, analysts said, noting that the mainland is taking granted tit-for-tat and firm fight on Taiwan question. The island of Taiwan is part of China and to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity is the sacred mission of the PLA. Forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command would stay on high alert and take necessary measures to fight at any time against the interference of foreign forces and attempt of secessionists on the island of Taiwan, the spokesperson said. In response to US politicians’ visit to the island at the beginning of November, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted a joint patrol with combat readiness. And the spokesperson used the word “continue” to describe the action on Friday, which showed the action will last for a period of time, they noted. The PLA sent eight military aircraft, including a KJ-500, one Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft, one H-6 strategic bomber and four J-16 fighter jets. Some US politicians visited the island of Taiwan twice within a month and were obsessed with playing the “Taiwan card.” Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority is walking on the downward slope and it is more willing to collude with the US, two experts who asked for anonymity, told the Global Times. The clumsy show put on by certain US politicians and the Taiwan authorities will be overwhelmed by China's reunification process and can never change the unbreakable landscape where 180 countries in the world are committed to the one-China principle. All erroneous acts that run counter to the trend of China's reunification are like ants trying to topple a giant tree and will end up in failure, Zhao Lijian, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Friday. On the question of Taiwan, China has no room to compromise. Wu Qian, spokesperson for National Defense, told a press conference on Thursday that the US has made many irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question and made provocations. China will not compromise and the US should have no illusions. Pakistan is planning to consult ‘iron brother’ China before taking a decision on the invite by the US for the Summit of Democracy next month, as Beijing is angry over the invite extended to Taiwan for the summit. According to Pakistani media, Pakistan might consult China before announcing its participation as the US decision to invite Taiwan, instead of Beijing, has angered China. China has said it is "firmly opposed" to the invitation because Taiwan was "an inalienable part of Chinese territory." China’s Foreign Ministry said earlier this week that it was “firmly opposed” to the invitation. “US actions only go to show democracy is just a cover and a tool for it to advance its geopolitical objectives, oppress other countries, divide the world and serve its own interests,” Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing. Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement that the "invitation to participate in the 'Summit for Democracy' is an affirmation of Taiwan's efforts to promote the values of democracy and human rights over the years." According to Dawn, the invitation puts Pakistan in a difficult spot as it also fears giving India a free hand by opting out of the summit. Pakistan is worried about India’s growing influence in the United States since 2011, when Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad strained Islamabad’s relations with Washington. The newspaper quoted “diplomatic observers” to say that Pakistan is likely to participate in the 110-nation virtual summit, as it will boost its efforts to re-establish economic and political ties with the United States, which, until recently, was a close ally. “Prime Minister Imran Khan, who visited the United States in July 2019, will address the summit as well, if Pakistan agrees to participate,” a diplomatic source said. #ApniDunyaNetwork #AdnanRahi #ChinaUS