China Shipping on Friday for the second day Consecutive military ships and planes nearly Taiwanhinted at the authorities of that island, whose president outraged Beijing by meeting the head of the US House of Representatives.
(Read here: Kevin McCarthy meets with President of Taiwan despite threats from China)
Near this self-governing island, three warships and a fighter plane sailed into the waters and an anti-submarine helicopter penetrated the air defense identification zone, Taiwan’s defense ministry said.
(Related: How Latin America Became a Battleground Between China and Taiwan)
The day before, Taiwan spotted three ships and a helicopter near its territory. On Wednesday, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong passed the southeastern part of the island, hours before the meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
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The president returned Friday after visiting Guatemala and Belize, two of the 13 countries that have ties with Taipei.
“We have shown the international community that Taiwan is more united in dealing with pressure and threats,” President Tsai told reporters. “Despite the obstacles, we will not stop interacting with the world,” he stressed.
Beijing had warned of Tsai’s meeting with McCarthy, the second-highest American in the line of presidential succession, and said Thursday it would take “firm and effective action to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
China regards this self-governing and democratic island as part of its territory and advocates regaining control, if necessary by force. The Asian giant on Friday insisted the island remains an “inseparable part of China”.
“Taiwan’s future depends on reunification with the motherland,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
In recent years, China has tried to isolate the territory on the international stage and is angry when Taiwanese authorities maintain contacts with officials from other countries.
In August, a visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, McCarthy’s predecessor, sparked unprecedented military exercises by the Chinese army around the island.
In Pingtan, the Chinese island closest to Taiwan, AFP journalists on Friday saw a military ship and at least three helicopters also pass through the strait. It wasn’t immediately clear if the movements were an intensification of Beijing’s usual patrols in the area.
China also imposed sanctions on Taipei’s de facto ambassador to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, a conservative US institute, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which hosted the meeting. Taiwan condemned the sanctions and accused Beijing of trying to “further eliminate our country’s international space.”
AFP