Taiwan President visits military base amid show of force by China

News Network

September 23, 2020

Taipei, Sept 23: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday visited a military base on one of its outlying islands, Penghu, after a recent show of strength by Beijing, in which, scores of Chinese jets had crossed the midline of Taiwan strait.

During the visit, Tsai said that provocations by the People's Liberation Army are disturbing the peace of its area.

"I know that having to face the provocations of the People's Liberation Army surrounding Taiwan, and their actions in disturbing the area's peace, in the situation, everyone's duty at the frontline air defense at Penghu has become heavier," Tsai was quoted as saying by South China Morning Post.

"But I have faith in every individual, that every one of our well-trained air force brothers and sisters is able to lift this heavy responsibility," she added.

China flew as many as 37 aircraft including bomber and fighter jets over the Taiwan Strait following the visit of a US State Department official, which apparently angered Beijing.

According to the SCMP, China regards Taipei as a "breakaway province" and has said that it wouldn't mind using force to claim it. At the same time, Beijing has also accused Washington and Taipei of promoting independence.

On Monday, Taiwan had responded to China's threat to "set off the war", in a cheeky manner.

"How do you deal with a neighbour sending you death threats just for having dinner with friends visiting from afar? Asking for a friend," Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson tweeted.

This statement followed the threat issued by the Chinese mouthpiece Global Times after US Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Keith Krach had visited Taipei.

"Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, who pledged deeper ties with the US at a dinner for a visiting senior State Department official, is clearly playing with fire. If any act of her provocation violates the Anti-Secession Law of China, a war will be set off and Tsai will be wiped out," wrote Global Times.

During Krach's visit, Tsai Ing-wen had pledged deeper ties with the US.

According to an official statement, Taiwan President has committed collaboration with the US to strengthen ties.

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In meeting with Zohran Mamdani, Trump repeats claim he stopped India-Pak war

Agencies

November 22,2025

New York/Washington: US President Donald Trump has again claimed to have solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, repeating his assertion during a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office.

Mamdani flew to Washington DC for his first meeting with Trump in the White House on Friday. Trump said he “enjoyed” the meeting, which he described as “great.”

During remarks in the Oval Office, with Mamdani standing next to him, Trump repeated his claim that he solved the May conflict between India and Pakistan.

"I did eight peace deals of countries, including India and Pakistan,” he said.

On Wednesday, Trump had said he threatened to put 350 per cent tariffs on India and Pakistan if they did not end their conflict, repeating his claim that he solved the fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him to say “we're not going to go to war.”

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 60 times that he “helped settle” the tensions between India and Pakistan.

India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Mamdani emerged victorious in the closely-watched battle for New York City Mayor, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected to sit at the helm of the largest city in the US.

He had been the front-runner in the NYC Mayoral election for months and defeated Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and political heavyweight former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent candidate and was officially endorsed by Trump just hours before the elections.

Indian-descent Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalised US citizen only recently, in 2018.

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