MADRID, 13 (EUROPE PRESS)
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed that six Chinese warships and at least 29 combat aircraft have approached the territory’s maritime security line, in what it has interpreted as the umpteenth display of force by Beijing, whose claims of sovereignty over the island have been fueled by the recent visit of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, Nancy Pelosi.
Specifically, the Ministry has confirmed that thirteen of the fighter planes briefly crossed the median that separates the Taiwan Strait with its air safety zone, before turning around.
As usual, Taiwan responded by declaring an alert to its forces and warning the Chinese devices to leave the scene immediately, according to the Ministry’s statement, collected on its Twitter account.
For its part, the Chinese Armed Forces have reported the start of five-day demining maneuvers in the South China Sea with the participation of the newly manufactured ‘Hejian’ minesweeper for the first time. The minesweeper ‘Chishui’ also participates in these exercises.
The ships have successfully located and neutralized several surface and submerged mines and have carried out artillery exercises, all of which are key capabilities in the event of an open conflict in Taiwan, reports the Chinese newspaper ‘Global Times’.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has ruled out this week that the Chinese government goes “beyond” the military exercises around Taiwan after Pelosi’s controversial visit.
“I am not worried, but I am concerned that they are moving as much as they do,” he said in relation to the military maneuvers launched last Thursday by the Chinese Army near the island.
The US president, who has insisted that Pelosi’s decision to go to Taiwan was “only hers”, has asserted that, in any case, he does not consider that Beijing will go “further”, with which he has ruled out a further increase in tension and a possible armed conflict in the area.
