Chinese warships, fighter jets encircled Taiwan before Tsai-McCarthy meet

A Chinese fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopterviolated Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone while a number of People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warshipssailed in waters surrounding the self-ruled island, the Taiwanese defence ministry said. The developments occurred hoursbefore Taiwanese PresidentTsai Ing-wenmet US House speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

China's Shandong aircraft carrier sailed through Taiwan's southeastern waters on its way to the western Pacific, Taiwanese defence ministry said.

Tsai told reporters her government was committed to ensuring "the free and democratic way of life of the people of Taiwan" before she left Los Angeles where she was stopping on her way back from Latin America.

"We also hope to do our best to maintain peace and stability between the two sides," she added.

Beijing said on Friday that "Taiwan is an inseparable part of China", after repeatedly warning against the meeting.

"China's sovereignty and territorial integrity will never be divided," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.

"The future of Taiwan lies in reunification with the motherland."

The cross-strait violation by the Chinese forces fall in line with a pattern Beijing has been adopting every time Taiwan is seen maintaining and strengthening its bilateral ties with the United States.

Since September 2020, when Taiwan began renewing its US outreach, China started regular incursions in self-ruled island's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, China slapped sanctions on Taipei's de facto ambassador to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, banning her from entering China and accusing her of "deliberately inciting cross-strait confrontation".

Taiwan condemned the sanctions, saying Beijing was attempting to "further suppress our country's international space".

"Coercion and suppression will not change the objective facts, but will only strengthen our government's belief in upholding freedom and democracy," Taiwan's foreign office said in a statement.

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Beijing also announced sanctions against the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based conservative think tank, as well as the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which hosted the meeting.

The two organisations are now barred from engaging in transactions and cooperation with Chinese entities.

(With inputs from agencies)

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