In the midst of hostilities with China, Taiwan unveiled the F-16V, its most sophisticated fighter aircraft. Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island nation earlier this month, China staged a significant military drill this month.
As US congressmen visited the area and later enraged the Communist country, tensions in the region increased.
At an airport in eastern Hualien county, Taiwan equipped the F-16V fighter jet with anti-ship missiles as six high-tech jets took off for night reconnaissance in its most recent military exercise.
As China proceeded to send aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense zone in November of last year, Taiwan initially deployed the F-16Vs. The brand-new aircraft is an improved F-16 fighter.
The military of Taiwan stated that due to “recent military drills by Chinese communist forces,” it is necessary to stay “vigilant.” Taiwan has earlier charged China with exploiting Nancy Pelosi’s visit as justification for high-level naval and land military exercises.
Taiwan is seen as a breakaway province by China, which has threatened to annex Taiwan via force if necessary. China emphasized that it will “not renounce the use of force” against Taiwan in a white paper that was published earlier this month.
Premier Su Tseng-chang of defiant Taiwan stated his country “shouldn’t be too afraid to do anything” and that Taiwan would continue to thwart Chinese efforts. Senior members of the US Congress’ two-day visit to Taiwan, where President Tsai called for “prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific region,” contributed to the rise in tensions between China and Taiwan.
Tsai used the invasion of Ukraine by Russia as evidence of “the threat that authoritarian governments pose to the world order,” specifically mentioning China.
New Trade Initiative Talks Between Taiwan And USA.
The United States and Taiwan agreed on Wednesday to start trade negotiations under a new initiative, which is certain to enrage China, as further proof of greater US support for the island. According to the two parties, they wanted to negotiate agreements that would have “economically meaningful effects.”
The U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade was unveiled in June, just days after the Biden administration dropped the Chinese-claimed island from its Asia-focused economic plan designed to counteract China’s growing influence. The US Trade Representative’s office predicted that the first round of negotiations would start early this fall after the two sides “reached consensus on the negotiating mandate.”
In a statement, Sarah Bianchi, the deputy U.S. trade representative, stated, “We expect to pursue an aggressive pace for reaching high-standard pledges and substantial outcomes spanning the eleven trade areas in the negotiating mandate that will help construct a fairer, more prosperous, and resilient 21st-century economy.”
According to the negotiating mandate released along with the statement, the United States and Taiwan have developed a robust agenda for discussions on subjects like trade facilitation, good regulatory standards, and removing discriminatory trade barriers. It was announced that official negotiations will start with the intention of reaching agreements with “high standard promises and economically relevant outcomes.”
The possibility of a comprehensive free trade agreement, which Taiwan has been promoting, was not mentioned. Despite the lack of official diplomatic ties, Washington has been eager to step up its support for Taiwan, especially given the mounting political pressure China is putting on it to recognize its sovereignty claims.
