China sends warships, warplanes toward Taiwan after Tsai's US trip

Chinas military sent several dozen warplanes and warships toward Taiwan in a largescale exercise that simulated sealing off the island in response to its presidents trip to the USThe Chinese military earlier had announced threeday combat readiness patrols which it called Joint Sword as a warning to Taiwan a selfruled island which China claims as its ownBeijing says contact between foreign officials and the islands democratic government encourages Taiwanese who want formal independence a step Chinas ruling Communist Party says would lead to warThe sides split in 1949 after a civil war and the ruling party says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland by force if necessaryMilitary analysts suggest that in the event of a war China may block sea and air traffic around Taiwan preventing the United States Japan or other nations from intervening or sending supplies to help the island defend itselfChinas latest military actions follow President Tsai Ingwens delicate diplomatic mission to shore up Taiwans dwindling alliances in Central America and boost its US support a trip capped with a sensitive meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California A US congressional delegation also met with Tsai over the weekend in Taiwan after she returnedChina responded to the McCarthy meeting by imposing a travel ban and financial sanctions against those associated with Tsais US trip and with increased military activity through the weekendOn Monday morning the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army said its Shandong aircraft carrier for the first time was taking part in the exercises encircling Taiwan It showed a video of a fighter jet taking off the deck of the ship according to a post from the PLAs Eastern Command on Weibo the social media platformState broadcaster CCTV citing the PLA said the exercises are iquestsimulating the joint sealing offiquest of Taiwan as well as waves of simulated strikes at important targets on the islandBetween 6 am Sunday and 6 am Monday a total of 70 planes were detected and half crossed the median of the Taiwan Strait an unofficial boundary once tacitly accepted by both sides according to Taiwans Ministry of National DefenceAlso read China sanctions Reagan library others in retaliation for Tsais US tripAmong the planes that crossed the median were 8 J16 fighter jets 4 J1 fighters 8 Su30 fighters and reconnaissance planes Later Monday morning Taiwans defence ministry reported another 59 flights by bombers as well as multiple fighter jetsThat followed a full day between Friday and Saturday where eight warships and 71 planes were detected near Taiwan according to the islands Defence Ministry The ministry said in a statement it was approaching the situation from the perspective of not escalating conflict and not causing disputesTaiwan said it monitored the Chinese moves through its landbased missile systems as well as on its own navy vesselsIn addition to combat readiness patrols Chinas Peoples Liberation Army would hold live fire training in Luoyuan Bay in Chinas Fujian province opposite Taiwan the local Maritime Authority announced over the weekendChinas military harassment of Taiwan has intensified in recent years with planes or ships sent toward the island on a neardaily basis with the numbers rising in reaction to sensitive activitiesOne of the US representatives who attended the meeting with Tsai last week said Saturday the US must take seriously the threat China posed to Taiwan Republican Mike Gallagher chairman of the US House Select Committee on China told The Associated Press that he plans to lead his committee in working to shore up the island governments defences encouraging Congress to expedite military aid to TaiwanThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever