China announced on Monday August 15 that it had organized new military exercises around Taiwan, where five American parliamentarians are currently visiting.

"On August 15, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater held a multi-service joint combat readiness patrol and combat drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan," the command said. from the Chinese Army's Eastern Theater in a statement.

The new maneuvers constitute "a solemn deterrent against the United States and Taiwan which continue to play political tricks and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait", added Shi Yi, spokesperson for the theater command. of the Chinese army, promising to "resolutely defend national sovereignty".

22 aircraft and six ships

China considers Taiwan, with a population of around 23 million, to be one of its provinces, which it has yet to successfully reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Opposed to any initiative giving the Taiwanese authorities international legitimacy, Beijing is against any official contact between Taiwan and other countries.

US officials visit the island frequently, but China deemed the visit of Nancy Pelosi, the highest US official to visit the island in decades, a major provocation.

Faced with the maneuvers launched by Beijing in retaliation, Taiwan had organized its own exercises simulating the organization of its defense against a Chinese invasion.

Beijing only ended its drills after it reiterated its threats to Taipei and said it would continue to patrol the Taiwan Strait.

In its daily update, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that it had detected 22 planes and 6 Chinese ships, operating near the strait.

Eleven of the planes crossed the middle line, an unofficial demarcation between Taiwan and China that Beijing does not recognize.

With AFP

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