US Sees China’s Aggression Toward Taiwan as New Normal Since Pelosi Visit
- Pentagon official sees an effort to wear down Taiwan’s leaders
- Eventual moves may range from blockade to amphibious invasion
A woman walks by a screen showing China's military exercises around Taiwan.
Photographer: Noel Celis/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The US expects China to keep up the more aggressive behavior toward Taiwan it began during a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a senior Pentagon official said in unveiling the department’s latest assessment of the country’s military might.
China has conducted more naval operations and invasive air activity around the self-governed island in an apparent effort to intimidate and wear down Taiwan’s leaders, according to the official, who spoke to reporters on customary condition of anonymity. That activity includes crossing what’s known unofficially as the centerline of the Taiwan Strait between the island and China’s mainland.