**China Adopts more Strident Tone on Taiwan, but stops Short of Direct Conflict**.
**Beijing’s military exercises around Taiwan were a show of force, but they also signaled a desire to avoid a wider conflict.**.
China has adopted a more strident tone on Taiwan in recent months, but it has stopped short of taking any direct military action that could lead to a wider conflict with the United States..
In August, China conducted a series of large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in response to a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The exercises included live-fire drills and the firing of ballistic missiles over Taiwan..
The exercises were a clear show of force by China, but they also signaled a desire to avoid a wider conflict with the United States. China did not attempt to land troops on Taiwan or establish a no-fly zone over the island..
**Beijing’s goals in the Taiwan Strait**.
Beijing’s goals in the Taiwan Strait are to deter Taiwan from declaring independence and to prevent the United States from intervening in a conflict between China and Taiwan..
China has made it clear that it will not tolerate any moves by Taiwan towards independence. In a white paper on Taiwan published in August, China stated that it would .
