US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Sept. 17, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

In response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's possible visit to the island of Taiwan, China conducted military exercises Saturday off its coast opposite Taiwan island. A media of the island said on Friday that the live-fire drills near Pingtan in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province on Saturday, would be "a strong warning." Some media from the West and the island of Taiwan reported that between July 29 to August 2, China would have at least five military drills in its surrounding waters. 

Some media from the West and the island of Taiwan reported that that between July 29 to August 2, China would have at least 5 military drills in its surrounding waters. 

The Chinese government has repeatedly expressed its strong opposition to Pelosi's potential visit in recent days. In the telephone call with US President Joe Biden on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "Those who play with fire will perish by it." Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, warned on Tuesday that if the US side insists on making the visit, the Chinese military will take strong actions to thwart any external interference or "Taiwan independence" separatist scheme, and will be resolute in safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It can be said these were China's most strong-worded remarks against the US on the Taiwan question in recent years.

For the moment, what is being paid most attention, whether at home or abroad, is what kind of firm and strong measures China will take, especially in military, to safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The US military is considering "moving aircraft carriers or sending fighter planes for close air support" as a measure to protect Pelosi's delegation, said Washington Post on July 23. China and the US are actually nearly at swords' points.

For the current grim situation, it is believed that the Central Military Commission and Joint Staff Department must be in the process of careful planning and deployment. The countermeasures designed by the high command must be many times more rigorous and comprehensive than the popular imagination. We are very assured in this regard.

The suggestions and options on how to counter the US can be summed up in five ways. The first is to send military planes to accompany the plane Pelosi takes. I agree with this approach. By this means, we can give the US and the island of Taiwan a hard lesson in strategy. "Accompanying the plane" is a term used by the media, which sounds pretty tactful. More accurately, its standard military terminology should be tracking and monitoring. 

The second is to establish a no-fly zone in the Taiwan Straits, prohibiting Pelosi's plane from landing in Taiwan. Such a measure is pretty severe - It warns of the worst situation first; otherwise the consequences will be at the US' own risk. 

The third is to send military aircraft flying across the island of Taiwan, which can open up a fresh model of military operations against "Taiwan independence" forces. 

The fourth is to launch ballistic missiles around the Taiwan Straits. It is to send a warning that the situation over the Taiwan Straits has reached the brink of war, and it is actually to prevent Pelosi's plane from arriving in Taiwan by declaring a no-fly and no-navigation zone. 

The fifth is to conduct military exercises surrounding the Taiwan Straits.

Amongst the abovementioned five approaches, even though the first four have their own strengths, they have a common defect, that is, they lack flexible control over crisis disposal; thus the possibility of adoption is relatively small. By means of military drills, we can advance and retreat freely and take the initiative to deal with crises. Amid the exercises, any of the other four methods can be used flexibly, and the intensity of the confrontation can be adjusted as the situation develops. 

It's reported that China has begun its military exercises near its surrounding waters. Although they are planned routine ones, they also took the current situation across the Taiwan Straits into account. The live-fire drills near Pingtan on Saturday, in particular, were directed at the current cross-Strait situation. If Pelosi lands in Taiwan, it cannot rule out the possibility that there will be a large-scale joint military exercise between the army, navy and air force.

After all, China has solemnly pointed out that "We are fully prepared for any eventuality. If the US side insists on making the visit, the Chinese side will take firm and strong measures to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US must assume full responsibility for any serious consequence arising thereof." This is not empty talk. When it comes to issues of right and wrong, China will definitely live up to its word.

It is noticeable that Pelosi's office on Sunday officially announced her itinerary to Asia, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. The island of Taiwan was not mentioned. But we should be vigilant that she may transit the island without official entry, or pass over Taiwan without landing there, or telephone or send a telegraph to Taiwan regional leaders when flying over the island. No matter which way she adopts, the Chinese mainland will still take related countermeasures. After all, any of them still challenges the one-China principle and China will not sit idly by.

The author is a Beijing-based naval expert and a retired PLA Navy officer. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn