China has ramped up its military exercises surrounding Taiwan in what is expected to be a sustained uptick in provocations following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s high-stakes visit to Taipei.
Mrs. Pelosi, who sparked tensions with Beijing by becoming the first speaker in more than 25 years to visit the self-governed island 100 miles off of China’s mainland, departed Taipei on Wednesday after a one-day stopover that included bilateral meetings with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and other officials.
In her wake, the waterways and airspace surrounding Taiwan have become a powder keg as China responds with a series of military maneuvers meant to signal its discontent with the visit.