Missiles Over Taiwan Fly Over Our Territory: Chinese Analysts Hit Back at US Commander

Chinese defense analysts have lashed out at US Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Karl Thomas for his "groundless and meaningless" comments on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) firing missiles over Taiwan.

In a press briefing in Singapore on Tuesday, Vice Admiral Thomas called out China for the recent live-fire drills, saying it needs to be contested.

"It's very important that we contest this type of thing. I know that the gorilla in the room is launching missiles over Taiwan," Thomas said. He added that it was "irresponsible to launch missiles over Taiwan into international waters, where the shipping lanes [are], where free shipping operates."

A report by Chinese mouthpiece Global Times, quoting international experts, said Thomas' "accusation will not make a difference to the situation across the Taiwan Straits like the commander might have wished."

According to the experts, Thomas' accusation is groundless and meaningless, as the Chinese military's exercise is completely in line with international laws and common practices.

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the Commander intended to create a false impression with his allegations about the PLA firing missiles toward the waters where the ships are passing. "However, the truth is that the PLA delineated the exercise area in advance, in line with international common practices," he said.

"Both jurisprudence and history support that the island of Taiwan is part of China. The PLA's firing of missiles over the Taiwan island is a sovereign act within Chinese territory and harms no one," said Lü.

Lu added that missiles landing on the high seas was an international practice. "When a country exercises on the high seas, it needs to announce a certain amount of time in advance for ships to get out of the way, as long as they do not interfere with major shipping lanes. The PLA has exactly done so," he claimed.

To Thomas' statement about allowing China to continue with its military aggression would result in it being the "next norm," the regional expert said China displayed its ability to defend its sovereignty.

"China has clearly demonstrated its ability and determination to defend its sovereignty through a series of exercises following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unheeded visit to the island of Taiwan, and the U.S.' attempts to intervene are diminishing in effectiveness, which is the latest norm across the Taiwan Straits," he said. "The U.S. now needs to follow the formation of this norm and seek ways to react in a way that is more conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region," he added.