New warships, a helicopter and a fighter jet were deployed by China on Friday near Taiwan, according to the Taiwanese Defense, the second consecutive day after the meeting between the Taiwanese leader and the speaker of the American House of Representatives .
Three Chinese warships cruised the waters surrounding the self-governing island, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said, adding that a combat aircraft and an anti-submarine helicopter also passed through the defense identification zone. Airline (ADIZ) of Taiwan.
Taiwan had already detected three warships and a Chinese anti-submarine helicopter on Thursday April 6.
"One China"
Already on Wednesday, hours before the meeting in California between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Kevin McCarthy, the third state figure in the United States, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong had crossed the waters southeast of Taiwan. en route to the Western Pacific.
Beijing has always threatened a response if the Tsai-McCarty meeting takes place, in the name of its "
one China
" principle which prohibits, according to the Chinese authorities, maintaining official ties with Beijing and Taipei at the same time. time.
The communist government reiterated its warnings on Thursday, promising a “
firm
” and “
energetic
” response to “
defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity
”.
Beijing considers the island as one of its provinces to take back, favoring "
peaceful reunification
", but without excluding the use of force.
In August 2022, China had launched unprecedented military maneuvers around Taiwan in reaction to the visit to the island of Nancy Pelosi, who preceded Kevin McCarthy to the American perch.
Call for “diplomacy”
Premier Chen Chien-jen said on Friday that Taiwan's Defense and National Security Department was closely monitoring developments and asked "
the public for reassurance
."
Taiwan wants to “
prevent Chinese interference
” in its territorial waters, Tsai Ing-wen said Thursday, before leaving the United States.
Beijing must choose the path of "
diplomacy
" and not that of "
pressure
" on Taiwan, for its part urged Thursday Vedant Patel, spokesperson for the American State Department.
"
We continue to urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead choose to exercise constructive diplomacy
," he said.
