China vows to ‘fight to the death’ and masses tanks on beaches for D-Day style invasion of Taiwan fuelling WW3 fears | The Sun
CHINA has vowed to "fight to the death" as warships, tanks and warplanes have been deployed amid fears war could explode as tensions hit boiling point over Taiwan.
Beijing is incensed and threatening to take action as it accuses the US of provoking them over the breakaway island, which the Communist Party has long claimed belongs to China.
At least two Chinese warships have been seen lurking off the island and Chinese warplanes have buzzed close to the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait.
And chilling footage shows a column of amphibious tanks massing on beaches which are just miles from the island of Kinmen – the closest point between China and Taiwan.
It is also reported China is preparing to send one of its aircraft carriers to match US deployments in the region, with USS Ronald Reagan and her strike group currently operating near Taiwan.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has vowed to retake the island – which enjoys strong – but unofficial – support form the US.
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It has always been unclear if Washington would intervene militarily should China attack Taiwan, despite recent hints from Joe Biden.
But the resolve on both sides is now being stretched to breaking point with an expected visit to the island by US speaker and vocal China critic Nancy Pelosi.
She is the second in-line to the presidency after the Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden.
And should the trip go ahead she will be the most senior US politician to visit the island – something which will infuriate China.
Even the prospect of a visit has sparked a crisis which could spiral into a war, with China warning their military will "not sit idle" and threatening "serious consequences".
China views any engagement between Washington and Taipei as an US endorsement of the island's independence.
"The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
Both China and Taiwan have been holding war games in the days ahead of the possible visit by Pelosi.
Her plane has reportedly now taken off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – and is possibly bound for Taiwan.
The world waits with bated breath to see if she lands in Taipei in the next four hours – and what the response will be from China.
Chinese propaganda released yesterday showed off their military as soldiers in the clips vowed to fight to the death.
"We are fully prepared for any eventuality. Fight upon order, bury every intruder, and move toward joint and successful operations," the troops said, reports Chinese state media tabloid The Global Times.
"We are PLA soldiers, we swear to defend the motherland to the death."
The newspaper – which has a circulation of more than two million – is often seen as the unfiltered mouthpiece of the Communist Party.
"Based on what I know, in response to Pelosi's possible visit to Taiwan, Beijing has formulated a series of countermeasures, including military actions," said the paper's editor Hu Xijin.
He warned: "Let [Pelosi] go to Taiwan. But pray before departure: wish herself a safe journey and wish herself not be defined by history as a sinner who starts a spiral of escalation process expanding military frictions to a large-scale war in the Taiwan Strait."
The paper also quoted a "Chinese military aviation expert" who warned Beijing's fighter jets could fire warning shots at Pelosi's plane as it approaches Taiwan.
Fu Qianshao siad: "If Pelosi's aircraft enters our exercise area, we would have to take measures to eject, intercept, escort, and send a radio warning.
"If Pelosi gets her way, our warplanes may fire shells diagonally ahead of Pelosi's plane as a further warning."
And it quotes "Taiwan Strait expert" Chiu Yi who said Pelosi is "hiding like a rat" – claiming the politician would likely enter Taiwan from the east to avoid the massed Chinese military in the West.
US officials have already expressed concerns regarding the Pelosi's safety on the visit, which has not been expressly endorsed by the White House or President Biden.
And in an ominous phone call on Thursday, Biden was warned by President Xi Jinping: "Those who play with fire will perish by it."
It makes China's public admissions that they will take "strong measures" even more alarming for the House Speaker.
China’s PLA Eastern Theater Command released a dramatic video showcasing their military abilities in what appears to be another warning.
The caption of the concerning clip read: "Stand ready and fight, bury any enemy that comes."
And the country has reportedly sounded their chilling "war signal" in official circles – which was issued before their last two major conflicts.
The phrase, "Don’t say we didn’t warn you", has now been frequently referred to in discussions amid the soaring tensions.
Analysts said Washington's response to the plans and China’s feverish reaction meant it was hard to de-escalate the situation without either country appearing weak.
Pelosi – an outspoken supporter of Taiwan – was originally scheduled to travel to Taipei in April but pulled out at the last minute after testing positive for Covid.
Taiwan is feared to be a major flashpoint between the Washington and Beijing – with a potentially invasion potentially forcing the US to either abandon the island or face full scale war with China.
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Taiwan insists it is a independent nation after splitting from mainland China in 1949.
However, Beijing has always aggressively insisted that Taiwan still belongs to them by right – and have pledged to reclaim the island by 2050.
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