Amid speculation about the speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi During a visit to Taiwan on Tuesday, several Chinese warplanes were reportedly spotted near the centerline of the vulnerable Taiwan Strait.
What happened: Rising tensions between the US and China over Pelosi visiting the island nation where China claims sovereignty have alarmed both countries’ militaries.
quoted by Reuters Sources Several Chinese warships and warplanes are said to have remained near the unofficial dividing line since Monday, while the US military also moved its assets closer to Taiwan, including the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and large aircraft.
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According to the report, Taiwan had dispatched planes to monitor the situation. The source said both Chinese warships and planes “crushed” the dividing line, an unusual move that he described as “very provocative.”
He said the Chinese plane made repeated tactical moves to briefly “touch” the line and circle back to the other side of the strait.
Meanwhile, the US warned China not to turn Pelosi’s unexpected trip to Taiwan into a “crisis”.
“There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit into some sort of crisis or conflict, consistent with long-standing US policy, or to use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Strait of Taiwan.” John Kirbysaid a spokesman for the National Security Council.
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