Seventy-one Chinese military planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line on Saturday in response to a meeting between the two Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of Taiwanaccording to Reuters.

The answer comes just days after China harshly condemned the Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wens Meeting with the US spokesman Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The country has often expressed displeasure with Taiwan’s contacts with foreign governments.

China’s People’s Liberation Army also announced that it had begun combat readiness patrols and Joint Sword drills across Taiwan.

The Chinese military said it would hold them “as planned” in the Taiwan Strait and north, south and east of Taiwan.

“This is a serious warning to Taiwan separatist forces and the collusion and provocations of external forces, and it is a necessary measure to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement, per Reuters .

Also read: US lawmakers visit Taiwan days after Pelosi trip, risking rising tensions with China

Taiwan’s defense ministry said it spotted 71 Chinese planes, including fighter jets and bombers, crossing the center line, as well as nine Chinese ships.

“The military will respond with a calm, rational and serious attitude and stand guard and monitor following the principle of ‘do not escalate or argue’ to defend national sovereignty and national security,” the ministry said.

Taiwan seceded from China after a civil war in 1949, but the latter’s ruling Communist Party insists the former is part of the mainland.

Last year, the US government announced a $1 billion sale to Taiwan of military equipment, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles. The sale also included a $655 million logistics support package for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program, which provides air defense alerts. According to the State Department, the United States intends to…