Taiwan scrambled jets on Wednesday to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft in its air defense zone,” the island’s defense ministry said, adding that 22 of them crossed the median line separating the island from China.
A day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan on Thursday amid threats by China over the decision, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began military drills including live firing on the waters and in the airspace surrounding the island of Taiwan, Chinese state television reported.
According to Chinese media, The live-fire drills and other exercises around Taiwan are to end at 12:00 p.m. (0400 GMT) on Sunday.
On Wednesday, as Pelosi left Taiwan, china demonstrated its outrage over her visit with a burst of military activity in surrounding waters, summoning the US ambassador in Beijing and halting several agricultural imports from Taiwan.
Meanwhile, China’s customs department announced a suspension of imports of citrus fruits and certain fish – chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel – from Taiwan, while its commerce ministry banned the export of natural sand to Taiwan.
“Taiwan scrambled jets on Wednesday to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft in its air defense zone,” the island’s defense ministry said, adding that 22 of them crossed the median line separating the island from China.
Taiwan said it dispatched aircraft and deployed missile systems to “monitor” the Chinese activities in its air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. It also said it fired flares to drive away suspected drones near Kinmen. Taiwan’s military increased its alertness level. Its defense ministry said China was attempting to threaten key ports and cities with drills in the surrounding waters.
By flying to Taiwan, an island that China claims as its own, Pelosi became the highest-ranking elected official of the US to visit the self-ruled island in over 25 years. In retaliation, at least 21 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense zone.
China, expressing its anger, said that the presence of a senior figure from the US here would indicate a kind of American support for Taiwan’s independence. The other reason behind China being angry is that during a phone call with President Joe Biden last week, President Xi had warned that it was “playing with fire”. Despite this, Pelosi landed there, ignoring the threats.
However, the Biden administration has maintained its stand that the United States remains committed to its “one-China policy.”
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