According to China’s state-run Global Times, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “realistic combat exercise” around Taiwan just hours after US Senator Marsha Blackburn met Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan claimed it had spotted eight PLA Navy vessels and 35 warplanes near the island including SU-30, J-11, J-16 and J-10 aircraft flying over the “median line” of the Taiwan Straits.
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China’s newspaper said the latest military manoeuvres were conducted at sea and in the air which included multi-service and joint combat readiness patrol exercises. China conducted large-scale military drills just after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this month.
Watch: US lawmaker Marsha Blackburn meets Taiwan President, vows support
Marsha Blackburn’s visit to the island nation was the fourth visit by an American politician this month even as Beijing continues to keep a close eye on its neighbour. Senator Ed Markey had visited Taiwan shortly after Pelosi’s visit while the Communist nation was holding military drills with missiles, warships and fighter planes.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry hit out at China saying Blackburn’s visit was aimed at “sending a message to Beijing – we will not be bullied”.
Defending Blackburn’s visit, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said: “Members of Congress and elected officials have gone to Taiwan for decades and will continue to do so and this is in line and is consistent with our longstanding One-China policy.”
China claims Taiwan is a breakaway province which it has threatened to take by force if necessary. Tension between the two countries has been at its peak for the past two years amid military drills by the PLA close to the island. Last year China sent a record number of warplanes into Taiwan’s air defence zone amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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