China Says it Conducted Military Exercise around Taiwan to Warn US

Chinese and US flags flutter outside the building of an American company in Beijing, China January 21, 2021. (Reuters)
Chinese and US flags flutter outside the building of an American company in Beijing, China January 21, 2021. (Reuters)
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China Says it Conducted Military Exercise around Taiwan to Warn US

Chinese and US flags flutter outside the building of an American company in Beijing, China January 21, 2021. (Reuters)
Chinese and US flags flutter outside the building of an American company in Beijing, China January 21, 2021. (Reuters)

China's military said on Wednesday it recently conducted an exercise around Taiwan as a "solemn warning" against its "collusion" with the United States, Chinese state media reported.

US President Joe Biden angered China on Monday by appearing to signal a change in a US policy of "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan by saying the United States would get involved militarily if China were to attack the island.

But he said on Tuesday there was no change to US policy.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said it had recently carried out a patrol and drill in the airspace and sea around Taiwan.

"This is a solemn warning against recent collusion between the United States and Taiwan," said spokesman for the command, Shi Yi said, according to state television.

"It is hypocritical and futile for the United States to say one thing and do another on the Taiwan issue," he said.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically ruled Taiwan under its control, and the Taiwan Strait remains a potential military flashpoint.

While the United States abides by a "one China" policy, recognizing only Beijing, it has made a commitment under its Taiwan Relations Act "to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself".

Despite that, it has long held a policy of not specifying how it might react in the event of a Chinese attack on the island.



Interpol: 37 Suspected Terrorists Arrested in East Africa

A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
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Interpol: 37 Suspected Terrorists Arrested in East Africa

A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo

Thirty-seven suspected terrorists, including suspected members of ISIS, have been arrested across east Africa over the last two months, the global police body Interpol said on Monday.

Interpol, which is headquartered in France, said the arrests had been made in November and December during operations conducted jointly with the pan-African police body Afripol.

The arrests come as concerns mount over a possible resurgence of the ISIS militant group, after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

On New Year's Day, fifteen people were killed after a US Army veteran flying an ISIS flag from his truck swerved around makeshift barriers and drove into crowds in New Orleans.

Interpol said the operations in Africa had resulted in the arrests of 17 people, including two suspected ISIS members, in Kenya, and the arrest of a suspected member of ISIS Mozambique in Tanzania.
Others were arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

"East Africa's complex landscape, marked by political instability, porous borders, and socioeconomic challenges, continues to provide an environment conducive to terrorist activity," said Cyril Gout from Interpol.

"These positive results demonstrate the power of international collaboration in the fight against terrorism," he added.