If China were trying to isolate Taiwan, find out in the following report 3:17
(CNN) — China’s military said it conducted combat alert patrols and military drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan on Monday, just a day after a second US congressional delegation arrived in Taipei.
The drills represent “a solemn response to US-Taiwan political moves that are undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” said Colonel Shi Yi of the Eastern Operations Command, according to the command’s official report on Weibo. “We will take all necessary measures and resolutely uphold national sovereignty, peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” he added.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said 30 Chinese People’s Liberation Army warplanes and five ships were spotted in the Taiwan Strait on Monday.
A US Congressional delegation led by Senator Ed Markey landed in Taipei on Sunday for a previously unannounced two-day visit. This trip comes shortly after the arrival of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan earlier this month.
Pelosi’s visit, the first by a speaker of the US House of Representatives to the island in 25 years, angered Beijing. And China responded by launching significant military exercises in Taiwan for several days.
Douglas Hsu, director-general of the Department of North American Affairs at Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, greets U.S. Representatives Alan Lowenthal, John Garamendi, Don Beyer and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen at Songshan Airport in Taipei, Aug. 14, 2022.
On Wednesday, China’s military said it had “successfully completed” such training. But he promised to “regularly conduct” additional cross-strait patrols.
China’s ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan part of its territory, although it has never controlled it. He has even long promised to “unite” the island with mainland China by force if necessary.
The five-member congressman delegation visited the self-governing island to “reaffirm United States support for Taiwan” and “promote stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait,” a spokesman for Senator Markey said in a statement.
During their meeting on Monday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen thanked the delegation for visiting the island at a “key moment”. Also for showing his support for Taiwan with actions.
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Tsai stressed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlighted the threat posed by authoritarian regimes to the world order. He added that China’s recent military drills on the island have “seriously disrupted” peace and stability in the region.
“Taiwan has not only worked closely with our international friends to closely monitor all military movements around us, but has also continued to communicate to the world our determination to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” the president said.
Tsai added that Taiwan stands ready to “deepen its cooperation with the US and jointly uphold prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.” In the face of global authoritarian expansionism, Taiwan is also willing to deepen trade ties with like-minded democracies and build a more resilient supply chain,” he said.
In response, Markey commended Tsai for her leadership and said he was “honoured” to “stand by Tsai and by Taiwan,” according to the president’s office statement.
“In such uncertain times, we must do more to ensure Taiwan’s peace and stability. We have a moral obligation to actively prevent any unnecessary conflict. In response to this great challenge, Taiwan has shown incredible restraint and discretion,” Markey said.
A US Congressional delegation led by Senator Ed Markey arrived in Taipei on Sunday for a previously unannounced two-day visit.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu also thanked the delegation for their visit after receiving the group at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
“Authoritarian #China cannot dictate how democratic #Taiwan makes friends, wins support, remains resilient and shines as a beacon of freedom,” Wu wrote in a ministry post on Twitter.
China’s Defense Ministry, for its part, described the delegation’s trip as an “ambush visit” that “violates China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a statement.
The military exercises conducted by the Eastern Operations Command are a “solemn deterrent” to “collusion and provocation” by the United States and Taiwan, spokesman Wu Qian said.
The Beijing Foreign Ministry also condemned the visit at a press conference on Monday.
Spokesman Wang Wenbin said China urges the United States “not to cause further damage to Sino-US relations and cross-strait peace and stability.”
“China will take decisive and decisive action to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Wang warned.
CNN’s Eric Cheung, Gladys Tsai and Devan Cole contributed to this report.