As many as 12 Chinese airforce planes crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line on Saturday as tensions simmer between China and Taiwan, which the former claims as its own.
According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, 13 Chinese planes crossed the median line and China continues its military exercise close to the island.
Furious about a visit to Chinese-claimed Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China launched ballistic missiles and deployed multiple aircraft and warships in recent days to simulate sea and air attacks.
China had said it would keep up patrols but had “completed various tasks” around Taiwan, signalling a possible end to the war games even while keeping up the pressure.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced using force to bring it under its control. The United States and the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations warned China against using the visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.
Foreign ministers of the G7 – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States, as well as the European Union in a statement have urged China to resolve the Taiwan matter peacefully and expressed concern over China’s “threatening actions,” particularly live-fire exercises and “economic coercion.” They added that it is “normal and routine” for legislators to travel internationally.