US Carries Out Missile Test Over China Drills Around Taiwan

The U.S. military said Tuesday that they conducted a test of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The U.S. delayed the test to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing during the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s show of force near Taiwan earlier this month.

 The CCP deployed dozens of aircraft and fired live missiles in the Taiwan Strait after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island nation. The Chinese regime considers Taiwan as part of its territory and has never given up using force to bring it under its control.

 The test demonstrated the readiness of U.S. nuclear forces and provided confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent, a U.S. military statement said.

 The re-entry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles (6,760 kilometers) and the missile was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

 The military said about 300 such tests have been conducted previously and were not the result of any particular global event, and it also suggests that Washington is less concerned about the situation escalating around Taiwan in the short term at least.

 The Biden administration has said it would continue to carry out routine naval and air operations in the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks.

 The Chinese military said it held more exercises near Taiwan on Monday, while five U.S. senators visited Taiwan and met with President Tsai Ing-wen. Tsai said her government is committed to maintaining stability.