Taiwan is keeping a close eye on Chinese warships after Beijing condemned US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s meeting with Taiwan’s president, Reuters writes.
McCarthy and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Library in California. The meeting comes at a time when Chinese-US relations are at their lowest point in years and despite threats from Beijing to take retaliatory steps if diplomatic relations with Taiwan are established. China does not recognize Taiwan’s independence.
Taiwan’s Minister of Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng informed that
on Wednesday, the 5th of April, a Chinese warship was seen 370 kilometers from the east coast of Taiwan.
The minister told the media that the ship is on a training trip, but a sensitive time has been chosen. No fighters were observed taking off from the ship’s deck. A Taiwanese warship observed the Chinese from a distance of about five nautical miles. The US warship USS Nimitz is also relatively close to Taiwan.
The Japanese Defense Minister has stated that three ships have been observed, and a Japanese warship has also been monitoring the situation. This is the first time the Chinese warship Shandong has entered the Pacific Ocean, but Beijing has previously guided its warships past Taiwan at similarly chosen times. Last year, Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait just a few hours before the China-US presidential talks.
China held military exercises around Taiwan last year after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
China’s Defense Ministry has condemned McCarthy’s meeting with Taiwan’s president but has not threatened specific action.
The deputy head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau said on Thursday, the 6th of April, that China does not expect such a strong reaction as after Pelosi’s visit. He added that while European representatives are visiting China, it is trying to present itself to the world as a diplomatic country.
Taiwan is also concerned about China’s announcement that it plans to inspect all ships in the Taiwan Strait, which may include boarding the ships. Taiwan has ordered its shipping operators to refuse the inspection and immediately report to the Taiwan Coast Guard for assistance.
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