Taipei: China's military announced fresh military drills on Monday in the seas and airspace around Taiwan - a day after the scheduled end of its largest ever exercises to protest against last week's visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

China's Eastern Theatre Command said it would conduct joint drills focusing on anti-submarine and sea assault operations - confirming the fears of some security analysts and diplomats that Beijing would continue to maintain pressure on Taiwan's defences.

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last week infuriated China, which regards the self-ruled island as its own and responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, as well as ditching some lines of dialogue with Washington.

The duration and precise location of the latest drills is not yet known, but Taiwan has already eased flight restrictions near the six earlier Chinese exercise areas surrounding the island.

Shortly before the latest drills were announced, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, telling him she was moved by his determination to visit despite China's military pressure.

"Prime Minister Gonsalves has expressed in recent days that the Chinese military drills would not prevent him from visiting friends in Taiwan. These statements have deeply touched us," Tsai said at a welcome ceremony for Gonsalves in Taipei.

It was unclear if Tsai had invited Gonsalves before or after Pelosi's visit. "We don’t disclose internal planning or communications between governments," the Taiwanese foreign ministry said when asked by Reuters.

Beyond the firing of 11 short-range ballistic missiles during the four earlier days of exercises, Chinese warships, fighter jets and drones manoeuvred extensively around the island.

Shortly before those drills ended on Sunday, about 10 warships each from China and Taiwan manoeuvred at close quarters around the unofficial median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to a person familiar with the situation who is involved with security planning.

Military talks shelved

Taiwan's defence ministry said Chinese military ships, aircraft, and drones had simulated attacks on the island and its navy. It said it had sent aircraft and ships to react "appropriately".

China's defence ministry meanwhile maintained its diplomatic pressure on the United States, defending its shelving of military-to-military talks in protest at Pelosi's visit.

"The current tense situation in the Taiwan Strait is entirely provoked and created by the U.S. side on its own initiative, and the U.S. side must bear full responsibility and serious consequences for this," defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said in an online post.

"The bottom line cannot be broken, and communication requires sincerity," Wu said.

China called off formal talks involving theatre-level commands, defence policy co-ordination and military maritime consultations on Friday as Pelosi left the region.

Pentagon, State Department and White House officials condemned the move, describing it as an irresponsible over-reaction.

China's cutting of some of its few communication links with the U.S. military raises the risk of an accidental escalation over Taiwan at a critical moment, according to security analysts and diplomats.

One U.S. official noted that Chinese officials had not responded to calls from senior Pentagon officials amid the tensions last week, but that they did not see this as a formal severing of ties with senior figures, such as U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Asked directly about those reports, defence ministry spokesman Wu said, "China's relevant counter-measures are a necessary warning to the provocations of the United States and Taiwan, and a legitimate defence of national sovereignty and security".

SOURCE: REUTERS

Peshawar: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued an alert about monsoon torrential rains in different parts of the province from Sunday.

According to details, PDMA has advised all the Deputy Commissioners to take precautionary measures to avoid any human and material losses.

The rains can cause urban flooding in Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and land sliding in hilly areas.

The PDMA control room is operational round the clock and people can contact on its helpline 1700 in case of emergency.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has commended the performance of Pakistani athletes at the ongoing Commonwealth games.

In his tweets on Monday, he said Nooh Butt and Arshad Nadeem won gold, Sharif Tahir, Zaman Anwar and Inam Butt won silver and Shah Hussain, Ali Asad and Inayatullah won bronze medals in the Commonwealth Games, making all Pakistanis, including him, proud.

He said these athletes are pride of the nation who increased Pakistan's honor in the comity of nations.

The Prime Minister said he will meet all these athletes on their return home and encourage them. He said other Pakistani athletes participating in the Commonwealth Games are also commendable who are representing Pakistan with hard work and dedication.

Describing victory or defeat part of the game, he urged the athletes not to give up and keep working hard.

میں ان تمام ایتھلیٹس سے وطن واپسی پر ملاقات کرکے ان کی حوصلہ افزائی کرونگا. اسکے علاوہ کامن ویلتھ کھیلوں میں شریک دیگر پاکستانی ایتھلیٹس بھی قابلِ تعریف ہیں جو محنت اور لگن سے پاکستان کی نمائندگی کررہے ہیں. جیت اور ہار کھیل کا حصہ ہیں، حوصلہ مت ہاریں، محنت جاری رکھیں.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 8, 2022