As China continues its military exercises near the island, Taiwan's defence ministry reported on Thursday, August 18, that 51 Chinese aircraft and six Chinese ships had been spotted operating in the area of Taiwan.
25 of the 51 aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence zone or crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, which often serves as an informal barrier separating the two sides.
In response to the US flying nuclear stealth bombers over the Pacific and Taiwan accepting new U.S. trade talks, China has deployed 51 aeroplanes and six ships near Taiwan.
The action was taken in response to the U.S. government's announcement that it would hold trade talks with Taiwan as a show of support for the island democracy that China claims as its own territory. Beijing then threatened to take action to "safeguard its sovereignty" in response to the announcement.
In response to the US flying nuclear stealth bombers over the Pacific and Taiwan accepting new U.S. trade talks, China has deployed 51 aeroplanes and six ships near Taiwan.
After U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her first visit to the island in 25 years earlier in August, China launched missiles into the sea to frighten Taiwan.
The Chinese administration of President Xi Jinping denounced the planned talks as a breach of its position that Taiwan has no right to external contacts after the US said it has opened new trade negotiations with Taiwan, the self-governing island that China has pledged to reunite by whatever means necessary.
China cautioned the US not to support the island's efforts to make its de facto independence permanent, as doing so might spark a conflict, according to Beijing.
China vehemently opposes this, according to spokeswoman Shu Jueting for the Ministry of Commerce. Washington was urged by her to "completely respect China's vital interests."
The US expects China to increase its military, diplomatic, and economic "coercion" of Taiwan, according to Daniel Kritenbrink, the US's senior ambassador to East Asia, who made the statement on Thursday.
After fresh rounds of threatening drills from China, Daniel Kritenbrink's warning came a day after Taiwain's military held exercises to demonstrate its capacity to fend off pressure to accept Beijing's political sovereignty over the autonomous island.
In a teleconference call with reporters, Kritenbrink, who serves as Washington's top envoy for ties with East Asia, said: "While our stance has not changed, what has changed is Beijing's escalating coercion."
In order to scare, coerce, and weaken Taiwan's resilience, these activities are a part of a pressure campaign that has been stepped up, he continued.
Additionally on Thursday, Taiwan's military conducted a practise simulating a defence against a Chinese missile strike using missiles and cannons.
In response to the US flying nuclear stealth bombers over the Pacific and Taiwan accepting new U.S. trade talks, China has deployed 51 aeroplanes and six ships near Taiwan.
After a civil war, Taiwan and China divided in 1949; they no longer have formal diplomatic ties but are nevertheless connected through trade and investment worth billions of dollars.
Although Taiwan is the ninth-largest commercial partner of the United States, there are strong informal ties between the two countries.