China sends 4 warplanes, 5 naval ships across Taiwan Strait after US arms deal with Taipei

Tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate as Beijing has again sent at least four aircraft and five warships to conduct military drills. According to Taiwan Defence Ministry, all the warplanes and vessels crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait at around 5 PM on Saturday. Taking to the microblogging site, the ministry confirmed two Chengdu J-10 multi-role combat aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait at its southern end.

Subsequently, Taipei also tasked Combat Air Patrols (CAP), Navy ships, and air defence missile systems to monitor and respond to Chinese activities. It directed the Taiwan military to issue radio warnings for the Chinese planes or ships, reported Taiwan News.

"5 PLAN vessels and 4 PLA aircraft around our surrounding region were detected today (September 3, 2022) until 1700(GMT+8). #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems," the Ministry of National Defence, Taiwan, wrote on Twitter.

"2 of the detected aircraft (J-10*2) had flown on the east part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, flight paths as illustrated," it added.

Notably, the response from China came nearly a day after the United States announced arms sales to Taiwan amid escalating tension. The deal included $355 million for Harpoon air-to-sea missiles and $85 million for Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Besides, the deal also included a logistics support package for Taiwan's surveillance radar program as China repeatedly desecrated Taiwan's airspace. However, China reacted strongly to the development and said it "will resolutely take legitimate and necessary counter-measures" if the US goes ahead with the arms deal.

US-China tensions escalate after Nancy Pelosi's visit

It is essential to note here that the Chinese government had warned Taiwan of a dramatic situation for allowing US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taipei. It sent 27 aircraft to Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) hours after Pelosi's plane left Taipei after she spent nearly 18 hours on the island claimed by Beijing as its own. Also, China fired “precision missiles” in waters off Taiwan’s coasts as part of military exercises. 

On Sunday, in a first, amid the military standoff in the Taiwan Strait triggered by the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the US Navy sent at least two warships to the island nation. According to the statement released by the US 7th Fleet, the guided-missile cruisers -- USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville -- were conducting a routine transit. The cruisers transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State, it added.

Image: AP