China Conducts Combat Patrols After Warning Taiwan Not to Meet With U.S. Speaker

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy attend an event with members of the Taiwanese community, in New York, U.S., in this handout picture released March 30, 2023. Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS
Reuters

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Nine Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line on Friday carrying out combat readiness patrols, Taiwan’s defense ministry said, days after Beijing threatened retaliation if President Tsai Ing-wen meets U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, despite the strong objections of the island’s government, and has been angered by the increased U.S. support for Taiwan.

Tsai arrived in the United States on Wednesday, stopping off on her way to Central America. She is expected to meet McCarthy in Los Angeles on her way back to Taipei in April. China, on Wednesday, threatened unspecified retaliation if the meeting were to go ahead.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said the nine Chinese aircraft crossed at points in the north, center, and south of the strait’s median line, which used to serve as an unofficial buffer between the two sides.

Taiwan’s armed forces used its own aircraft and ships to monitor the situation using the principle of “not escalating conflicts or causing disputes,” the ministry said.

“The communist military’s deployment of forces deliberately created tension in the Taiwan Strait, not only undermining peace and stability but also having a negative impact on regional security and economic development,” it said in a statement.

The defense ministry condemned what it called “such irrational actions.”

There was no immediate response from China.

Tsai, on her first stopover in the U.S. since 2019, blamed China for rising tensions, according to excerpts of her comments reported by her office. “China deliberately raises tensions, but Taiwan always responds cautiously and calmly so that the world can see that Taiwan is the responsible party in cross-Strait relations,” she said.

Nury Turkel, a Hudson senior fellow who attended the event, said Tsai had been clear in her desire to see the U.S. communicate to China that it would stand with the Taiwanese people if Beijing sought to destroy Taiwan’s democracy, by force or whatever means. “Tsai was very clear in her messaging without being provocative,” Turkel said.

During her stop in New York, Tsai met with Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, according to Punchbowl News, one of many U.S. lawmakers expected to engage with her before she returns to Taipei.

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.