The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China confirmed that it will carry out new military exercises in the air and sea space surrounding Taiwan in response to the visit of five US congressmen to the island.
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In this regard, Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Theater of Operations Command, stated that the PLA will take the necessary measures to “resolutely defend national sovereignty.”
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the PLA maintains that “on August 15, the Eastern Theater organized a joint combat readiness patrol and an actual combat exercise in the sea and air space around the island of Taiwan.”
To which the document adds that the maneuvers constitute “a serious dissuasive element so that the United States (USA) and Taiwan do not continue playing with political tricks and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
On this occasion, a total of 22 J-16, J-10, SU-30 and J-11 fighter planes, and one KJ-500 radar plane, and six Chinese military ships, developed in the southwestern part, participated in the military exercises. of Taiwan’s self-defined Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
China has carried out exercises of this nature in different coastal areas in recent weeks, amid the growing tensions unleashed in the Taiwan Strait after the visit to that territory by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. last August 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, this Sunday, a delegation from the US Congress led by Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, Ed Markey, landed in Taipei to meet with senior Taiwanese leaders such as President Tsai Ing-wen; as well as attending a banquet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The de facto US embassy in Taipei avoided that the main reasons for the visit of the group of legislators are to discuss relations between the US and Taiwan, regional security, trade and investment, supply chains global issues, climate change and “other important issues of mutual concern”.
To which the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that “the United States interferes with China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; while stressing that” these trips ignore the protests and firm opposition by China to this interventionist and provocative policy”.