Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Aug 6: Taiwan accused China of simulating an attack on its main island on Saturday in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei as Beijing intensified its retribution and announced a suspension of cooperation with the US on critical issues.
Following Pelosi’s visit to China’s neighbouring, self-governing province that it claims as its own, relations between the two nations have taken a tumble, prompting calls from the UN for urgent de-escalation of tensions.
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The newest victim of the geopolitical squabble, Beijing announced Friday, was the environment. Beijing and Washington had agreed to several conversations and cooperation agreements, most notably on climate change and defence cooperation.
The two biggest polluters in the world had agreed to cooperate to speed up climate action this decade and to meet frequently to address the catastrophe, but that agreement is now in doubt.
Analysts believe that on Saturday, Beijing continued some of the biggest military exercises it has ever conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan. These drills are intended to simulate a blockade and eventual invasion of the island.
Taipei claimed to have seen “multiple” Chinese ships and aircraft operating in the Taiwan Strait, believing they were acting out an assault on the main island of the self-governing democracy.
“Multiple batches of Communist planes and ships conducting activities around the Taiwan Strait, some of which crossed the median line,” read a statement from its defence ministry referring to a demarcation line that runs through the Taiwan Strait which Beijing does not recognise.
