A US commander calls for a response to the new Chinese missile fire around Taiwan

• Asia China organizes new military exercises around Taiwan before a new US visit

• The crisis, in data Armed forces of China, the US and Taiwan: "China has to have a plan B"

's decision to

fire missiles around Taiwan needs a response as "irresponsible", a

commander has said at a roundtable in

.

The

carried out important maritime and air maneuvers on Monday around this island, whose sovereignty it claims, which included the launch of ballistic missiles in waters near its territory.

"It's very important that we respond to this type of action," US 7th Fleet Vice Admiral

told reporters in Singapore.

"If we allow this to happen and don't respond, it will become the norm," he said.

"It is irresponsible to launch missiles on

in international waters, where sea routes and free navigation operate," he added.

The Seventh Fleet is based in

and is an essential element of the US naval presence in the Pacific.

The tension in the area has escalated after the visit to Taiwan of the president of the House of Representatives of the United States,

, which angered Beijing.

Although de facto separate since 1949,

regards the island as part of its territory and has vowed to one day unify it, by force if necessary.

Vice Admiral Thomas draws a parallel between the threat over

and Beijing's behavior in the

, in which it claims almost complete sovereignty.

"If you don't challenge it ... all at once, it may end up like the islands in the South China Sea, which have become military outposts" for Beijing.

"Currently they are full-fledged military outposts, with missiles, large landing strips, hangars, radars, listening posts," he indicated.

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