In a show of military might, China announced a series of near-simultaneous exercises in the South China Sea between July 27 and July 31, including live-fire exercises just 125 km from Taiwan across the Strait of Taiwan, just as reports surfaced that Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi might kick off her Asia-Pacific tour on July 29.
In his phone conversation with US President Joe Biden on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Washington “not to play with fire” over Taiwan.
