China announced the completion of its maneuvers near Taiwan, and expressed its readiness for a peaceful solution while retaining the "right to use force." Britain summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest, while another Chinese ambassador threatened Washington with defeat.
The Chinese military said it had completed what it called multiple missions near Taiwan, adding that it would conduct regular patrols in the strait separating China and the island.
The Chinese State Council also announced in a statement that Beijing is ready to peacefully resolve the Taiwan question and reunify it with China, stressing that it reserves the right to use force.
The council noted that China is taking these measures to guard against what it called external interference and all separatist activities, according to the statement.
On the other hand, the Taiwan Ministry of Defense said that today 36 Chinese fighter jets flew across the dividing line of the Taiwan Strait.
The ministry added that it monitored the movement of 10 Chinese ships in the vicinity of Taiwan, noting that they were tracked through its ships and missile systems.
The ministry also confirmed the continuation of Chinese military exercises near the island.
"Our military is determined to defend our country, our sovereignty and our democratic way of life, and our soldiers are standing by," Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said.
Diplomatic crisis
In this context, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "If Washington really wants to abide by international law, it should refer to the one-China principle."
The TASS news agency also quoted the Chinese ambassador to Russia as saying that Washington would face a crushing defeat if it interfered in China's internal affairs.
The Chinese ambassador added that the West is repeating the Ukrainian scenario in the Taiwan issue, and Washington played the Taiwan card to contain China, as he put it.
As for the Chinese ambassador to London, he said that no country, including Britain, has the right to interfere in China's internal issues.
For its part, the British Foreign Office summoned the Chinese ambassador in London to protest what it described as Beijing's aggressive escalation against Taiwan, and the ministry accused China of threatening peace and stability in the region.
The United Kingdom urged China to resolve any differences by peaceful means without the threat, use of force or coercion.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has blamed the United States and the separatist forces in Taiwan for the current tensions.
In statements to the China Global Network, the minister said that Washington has often worked to undermine the one-China principle, noting that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to Taiwan affected Sino-US relations and undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Wang stressed that China's countermeasures are a necessary response to what he called the US's provocation and sale of large quantities of arms to Taiwan.
The Chinese Foreign Minister stressed that the United States does not represent the whole world, and said that it should stop justifying its mistakes, as he put it.