The United States has postponed a long-planned intercontinental ballistic missile launch over concerns about China’s angry response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, according to a senior official. The decision to postpone this week’s test flight of the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile comes as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began military exercises around Taiwan in response to Pelosi’s visit to Taipei. . Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, held talks with Taiwan’s top leaders on Wednesday, angering Beijing.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and vows to integrate it with the Chinese mainland, even by force. John Kirby, the National Security Council’s coordinator for strategic communications, told reporters Thursday that the Minuteman III ICBM test scheduled for this week has been rescheduled.
We don’t believe it’s in our interest, in Taiwan’s interest, in the region’s interest to allow tensions to escalate, which is why a long-planned Minuteman III ICBM test scheduled for this week has been postponed. Rescheduled for close. Kirby said that as China engages in destabilizing military exercises around Taiwan, the United States is demonstrating a responsible nuclear power behavior by minimizing the risks of miscalculation and misunderstanding.
The US will continue to demonstrate transparency in its ballistic missile tests through timely reporting. He said that this is a process that China has often rejected. Resetting this test will not affect the modernization, readiness, or reliability of America’s safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent. And there will be a test. Kirby said it will be rescheduled for the foreseeable future.
Unarmed US ICBMs are routinely tested to ensure system reliability. China made good on its promise that Taipei would pay for hosting Pelosi by firing multiple missiles into waters near northeastern and southwestern Taiwan on Thursday.
On Friday, China’s foreign ministry announced new countermeasures against the US, including the suspension of defense consultations and climate talks, and imposed sanctions on Pelosi and members of her family. Among the measures announced by Beijing were the cancellation of future phone calls and meetings between Chinese and US defense leaders, for which future dates were not announced, and the annual Sino-US military-naval consultation process. Includes cancellation of naval appointments.
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