TAIPEI, Aug 5 (Reuters) Taiwan condemned its evil neighbour on Friday after China fired multiple missiles into its surrounding waters, as many as four of which flew over the islands capital Taipei in an unprecedented escalation during live-fire exercises.
China launched its largest ever military drills in the seas and skies around Taiwan on Thursday, a day after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged Beijing by making a solidarity trip to the self-ruled island that China claims as its own.
Japans defence ministry, which is tracking the exercises, first reported that as many as four of the missiles flew over Taiwans capital. Japan also said that five of nine missiles fired towards its territory landed in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), also a first, prompting Tokyo to launch a diplomatic protest.
Later, Taiwans defence ministry said the missiles were high in the atmosphere and constituted no threat. It did not give details of their flight paths, citing intelligence concerns.
Some Taipei residents, including Mayor Ko Wen-je, criticised the government for not putting out a missile alert, but one security expert said that could have been done to avoid stoking panic and playing into Chinas hands.
It counteracted the effect of the Chinese Communist Partys psychological warfare, said Mei Fu-shin, a U.S.-based analyst. The shock and fear were not as great as they could have been.
There was little reaction to the missile firing in Taiwan on Friday. Its the same as normal. I dont feel anything different, said Ping Chung, who owns a hostel on Liuqiu Island, near one of the areas where China is conducting the exercises.
Asked to comment on the missiles, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang did not directly respond, but referred to China as the evil neighbour showing off her power at our door.
Bonnie Glaser, a Washington-based Asia security specialist at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, described as unprecedented reports that ballistic missiles were fired over Taiwan.
In my view, the larger threat is that China is doing a rehearsal for a blockade, demonstrating it can block Taiwans ports and airports, and prevent shipping, she said.
The drills are scheduled to continue until noon on Sunday.
ABYSS OF DISASTER
China has said its relations with Taiwan are an internal matter.
The U.S.-Taiwan collusion and provocation will only push Taiwan towards the abyss of disaster, bringing catastrophe to Taiwan compatriots, said a Chinese defence ministry spokesperson.
Responding to the Chinese drills, President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan would not provoke conflicts but would firmly defend its sovereignty and national security.
Taiwan has been self-ruled since 1949, when Mao Zedongs communists took power in Beijing after defeating Chiang Kai-sheks Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists in a civil war, prompting the KMT-led government to retreat to the island.
Beijing says it reserves the right to bring Taiwan under Chinas control, by force if necessary.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told an Asian meeting of top diplomats on Friday that Chinas reaction to Pelosis visit to Taiwan was flagrantly provocative and that China had sought to intimidate not only Taiwan, but neighbours too, a western official said.
Pelosi, who is currently in Japan, told reporters that China could not isolate Taiwan by preventing Western officials from travelling there.
This visit isnt about me, its about Taiwan, she said.
During a news conference in Tokyo, Pelosi addressed the diplomatic storm caused by the congressional visit to Asia, and most specifically Taiwan.
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