Taiwan wants to “prevent Chinese interference” in its territorial waters, its president Tsai Ing-wen said on Thursday, after Chinese maritime authorities threatened to carry out inspections of cargo and passenger ships there. “While I am out of the country, our national security team is closely monitoring the situation. What we have done is to ensure that our ships can navigate safely at sea and to prevent China’s interference in our territorial waters,” said Tsai Ing-wen, before leaving the United States. United, where she met the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy.
Beijing must choose the path of “diplomacy” and not that of “pressure” on Taiwan, for its part urged Thursday the spokesman of the American diplomacy. “We continue to urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead choose to exercise constructive diplomacy,” said Vedant Patel, spokesperson for the US State Department. The Beijing-based communist government sees the island as one of its provinces to take back, favoring “peaceful reunification” but not excluding the use of force.
China sent warships to the waters surrounding Taiwan on Thursday, according to Taiwan Defense, with Beijing promising a “strong” response to the talks between the island’s leader and the speaker of the US House of Representatives. Beijing has always threatened a response if such an interview took place and deployed an aircraft carrier near Taiwan a few hours before the meeting.
“The United States and Taiwan have conspired” to “strengthen their relationship,” which “severely undermines” Chinese sovereignty and “sends the wrong signal of support for Taiwanese separatists,” said Mao Ning, a spokesperson. word of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “China will take firm and vigorous measures to resolutely defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she said Thursday.
Three more warships were detected at 6 a.m. Thursday in the waters between mainland China and the island, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said. An anti-submarine helicopter also passed through Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (Adiz), according to the ministry. And China has deployed coast guard vessels for exceptional patrols which Taipei has protested against.