Taiwan hits back at China's claim of US changing status quo

Taipei [Taiwan], August 6 : Terming China's military actions as the root cause of regional tensions after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan trip, Taipei slammed Beijing's claim over Taiwan amid Chinese accusations that the US is changing the status quo in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in a press release issued on Saturday reiterated that China has never ruled Taiwan, reported Taiwan News.
Taiwanese have the right to make friends with the rest of the world, and China has no right to interfere with other countries forming friendships with Taiwan, the ministry added.
MOFA pointed out that China's missile launches and deployment of military ships and aircraft near Taiwan are "provocative and highly irresponsible actions."
The Chinese government is undermining peace in the Taiwan Strait and is the root cause of changes in the status quo, the ministry said.
MOFA pointed out that the Group of Seven (G7) and EU foreign ministers issued a joint statement calling on Beijing not to attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, reported Taiwan News.
It also said the foreign ministers of the US, Australia, and Japan urged China to end its military drills around Taiwan "immediately" and emphasized their commitment to regional peace and stability during an ASEAN summit in Cambodia.
"As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will not escalate conflicts or provoke a conflict," MOFA said.
It added that Taiwan will "calmly respond to China's irresponsible military coercion, firmly defend its sovereignty and national security, and remain on the frontline defending democracy and freedom."
MOFA called on the global community to jointly condemn China's "irrational military provocations," continue supporting democratic Taiwan, and pay attention to Taiwan Strait peace, reported Taiwan News.
It also urged the world to "jointly curb the expansion and aggression of authoritarianism, maintain the rules-based international order, and defend the free and open Indo-Pacific region."
While attending the ASEAN summit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called the G7 joint statement a "scrap of paper" that "confuses right and wrong and misrepresents the facts," reported Taiwan News.
Wang said not interfering in a country's internal affairs is the most basic principle for upholding global peace and stability. The law of the jungle cannot be allowed to dominate relations between two countries again, he said.
As the tensions in the Taiwan strait heightened soon with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China has been increasing its military activities.
Multiple Chinese planes and ships were detected around Taiwan Strait, simulating an attack on its main island, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday adding that some of them have crossed the median line.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the armed forces responded to such a situation accordingly with surveillance systems, CAP aircraft, naval vessels and missile systems.
"Multiple PLA craft were detected around Taiwan Strait, some have crossed the median line. Possible simulated attack against HVA. #ROCArmedForces have utilized alert broadcast, aircraft in CAP, patrolling naval vessels, and land-based missile systems in response to this situation," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence tweeted today.
Yesterday, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said that 68 Chinese military planes and 13 warships crossed over the median line to participate in drills.
Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang blasted what he called "the evil neighbour" after China encircled the self-ruled island with a series of huge military drills that were condemned by the United States and other Western allies.
China is holding threatening military exercises in six zones off Taiwan's coasts that it says will run through Sunday. Missiles have also been fired over Taiwan, defence officials told state media. The US Speaker is the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
China opposes the self-governing island having its own contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit has been unusually vociferous.