As I pointed out earlier today, China has already announced a series of military exercises surrounding Taiwan.

I mean, the Communist Chinese Party has got to be the biggest bunch of insecure despots… https://t.co/eJbjcRqcCP

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) August 2, 2022

But I also wanted to survey the reactions being published by state media outlet the Global Times. The lead story is this one titled “China to speed up reunification process with comprehensive action as it ramps up military readiness against Pelosi’s Taiwan visit.”

Analysts from both sides of the Taiwan Straits said this risky move will totally change the situation in the region, while the mainland will more actively dominate and speed up the reunification process with comprehensive measures including military and political actions, and these actions will let the US and the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities feel the pain.

There are many options on the table for China to speed up the reunification process. These could include striking Taiwan military targets, just as the PLA did in the previous Taiwan Straits crisis, pushing new legislation for national reunification, sending military aircraft and vessels to enter the island’s “airspace” and “water areas” controlled by the Taiwan authorities and ending the tacit cease-fire with the Taiwan military.

The article continues but eventually settles down to suggesting China’s response will involve plenty of “strategic patience.”

The Chinese mainland really knows the importance of “strategic patience,” just like when many people expected that China would crack down on the Hong Kong turmoil in 2019 with force when rioters attacked the central government’s liaison office, but the facts prove that China did not act in that way but eventually realized a land-slide victory to reinforce its governance in Hong Kong. “So this time, China will teach the US a lesson again, as it will use US mistakes to comprehensively change the Taiwan Straits situation, just as it did in Hong Kong in recent years,” said a Beijing-based senior expert on international relations who asked for anonymity.

There’s another story up titled “US bears full responsibility for all consequences of Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, China warns.” This one says no subsequent visit by any other foreign leader will be allowed.

“China won’t allow another case like ‘Pelosi’s visit’ to happen again, which means we won’t let this visit to set a bad example for more countries such as the UK, France and Germany to follow suit, further hollowing out our sovereignty over Taiwan,” Lü said.

As part of consecutive warnings, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned again on Tuesday that the US should abandon any attempt of playing the Taiwan card, faithfully abide by the one-China principle. “If the US insists on pursuing the wrong course of action, it will assume full responsibility for all serious consequences arising therefrom,” she said.

China’s reaction will not just be a momentary action but will consider the whole security mechanism of Taiwan, Lü noted. When it comes to the countermeasures, the Chinese expert said the Chinese mainland will exercise its sovereignty and rights of control over the airspace on the island and adjacent sea areas around the island, to make sure no other case like ‘Pelosi’s visit’ could happen again, and to better safeguard national sovereignty.”

Meanwhile, Xinhua is reporting that China has summoned the US ambassador:

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng urgently summoned the U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns late Tuesday night and lodged stern representations and strong protests over Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s visit to China’s Taiwan region…

He said the U.S. government has indulged rather than restrained Pelosi’s willful act, leading to the escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait and seriously undermined the China-U.S. relations.

Noting that the U.S. side shall pay the price for its own mistakes, Xie urged the U.S. to immediately address its wrongdoings, take practical measures to undo the adverse effects caused by Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

The United States must not go further down the wrong path, escalating tensions and making the situation across the Taiwan Strait and China-U.S. relations irreparable, Xie said.

Around the time Pelosi was arriving, China also put on a show of force along the coast:

🇨🇳The Chinese military is now conducting a massive shelling in the direction of the Taiwan Strait from the territory of Fujian province, where the PLA exercises are being held in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan pic.twitter.com/o7k90SMxSE

— ТРУХА⚡️English (@TpyxaNews) August 2, 2022

There is also some video showing China is maneuvering military equipment in Fujian, which is the mainland province closest to Taiwan.

Tanks & armored vehicles roll through the streets of Fujian province, the closest Chinese province to Taiwan. It looks like like China has all hands on deck to greet Speaker Pelosi & her US entourage. Take a look. pic.twitter.com/WEkGcDHhsh

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) August 2, 2022

Here’s a closer view:

The Chinese Communist Party is moving tanks and other military equipment through the Fujian Province (read: the closest Chinese province to Taiwan). Take a look: pic.twitter.com/8D3WiuFBax

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) August 2, 2022

These are not seagoing vessels so it’s not as if they can deliver these to Taiwan. We’ll have to wait and see what the plan is here.