Beijing has reiterated threats to use military force to take control of Taiwan amid Chinese military exercises around the island that have raised tensions between the parties to their highest level in years, AP reported..

China says it will "

“But we will not renounce the use of force and reserve the opportunity to take all necessary measures.. This is done to protect against external interference and separatist activities,” the statement said..

“We will always be ready to respond with the use of force or other necessary means to the intervention of external forces or the radical actions of separatist elements.. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the prospects for the peaceful reunification of China and advance this process,” Beijing added..

China says the tough moves were prompted by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, but the island says such visits are routine and Beijing has only used it as an excuse to ratchet up threats..

In response to Pelosi's visit, China said it was ending cooperation with the US in several areas.. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned that Beijing's military exercises reflect China's ambition to control large parts of the Pacific Ocean.. He said Beijing's strategy could include controlling the East and South China Seas through the Taiwan Strait and imposing a blockade to prevent the US and its allies from helping the island if Beijing attacks..

China continues military exercises without specifying when they will end. With its maneuvers, Beijing has moved closer to Taiwan's borders and may be seeking to set a new normal where it can control access to the island's ports and airspace.. Taiwan has put its troops on alert in response to Chinese exercises, but has so far refrained from active countermeasures.

The United States has shown that it is ready to counter the threats of China. Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in deference to Beijing, but the US is legally obligated to ensure that the island can defend itself and should treat all threats against Taiwan as matters of grave concern..

This leaves open the question of whether Washington will send its forces if China attacks Taiwan..

China's military maneuvers have disrupted flights in a region critical to global supply chains, prompting strong condemnation from the US, Japan and elsewhere.

In addition to geopolitical risks, the ongoing crisis in the Taiwan Strait, an important artery of global trade, could have serious implications for international supply chains at a time when the world is already facing disruption and uncertainty as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's war on Ukraine..

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