Defence Minister Anita Anand says China has no ground to launch live fire exercises off Taiwan’s coast in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-ruled island on Aug. 2–3.
“There is no justification to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait,” Anand said in an interview with CBC Radio’s The House, reported on Aug. 6.
“It is routine for legislators from our countries to travel internationally, and China’s escalatory response simply risks increasing tensions and destabilizing the region.”
Anand’s comments came a day after Beijing announced on Aug. 5 that it was ending all dialogue with the United States including matters concerning military relations….