Taiwan steeling itself for Chinese drills over VP’s US visit

TAIPEI, Aug 11 (Reuters) – China is likely to launch military drills next week near Taiwan, using Vice President William Lai’s stopovers in the United States as a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of an election next year and make them “fear war”, Taiwanese officials said. The U.S. transits by Lai, who is the front-runner for Taiwan’s presidential vote in January, have already drawn Beijing’s ire. The United States has described the stopovers as routine and no reason for China to take “provocative” action. Beijing could conduct manoeuvres similar to ones it held in April to “militarily intimidate” Taiwan voters…