Taiwan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that "11 Chinese military planes crossed the demarcation line or entered the Taiwan Air Defense Zone," as Beijing continues its military activities near the island.
And the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced - in a statement - yesterday, Saturday, that Chinese planes penetrated the middle line of the Taiwan Strait, which is considered an unofficial border between the two sides, adding that it had detected 6 ships and 29 aircraft in the eastern part of the middle line.
American response
On Friday, a senior US official announced that the United States would conduct "sea and air transit operations" in the Taiwan Strait in the "coming weeks", despite the escalation of tension between Washington and Beijing over the island, which China considers an integral part of its territory.
Despite the tension, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser on Asia, Kurt Campbell, stressed that despite the tension, US forces would "continue to fly, sail and conduct operations where international law permits, and in accordance with our long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation."
"This includes conducting regular sea and air transit operations in the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks," he added.
Campbell pointed out that his country will respond to the Chinese "provocation" over Taiwan, by promoting trade with the autonomous island, and that it will unveil a trade plan between Washington and Taipei in the coming days.
In the midst of the recent tension, which raised fears of a military escalation, Taiwan held military exercises in anticipation of a military move against it by China, which considers it an integral part of its territory.
Pelosi met Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and a number of senior officials in Taipei during her controversial visit (Getty Images)
Promote trade with Taiwan
Earlier, the White House had announced that the United States would "strengthen its trade exchanges with Taiwan and affirm its right to move freely by air and sea in the strait" that separates the island from China, in response to Beijing's "provocative" behavior.
In the context, Campbell said that Pelosi's visit "consistent" with Washington's current policy, considering that China "overreacted."
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have worsened dramatically in recent weeks, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, despite repeated warnings from China, which considered Pelosi's visit a provocation.
In response to the visit, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan, lowered the level of military cooperation with the United States and suspended cooperation on climate change, among other countermeasures.