China continued its large-scale military exercises around Taiwan on Sunday, sending dozens of warships and military aircraft into the region, including 22 that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, the buffer between the democratic island and the communist-run mainland.
Beijing’s maneuvers are in retaliation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan.
China’s Foreign Ministry also announced a reduction in diplomatic engagements with the U.S. and the suspension of military-to-military consultations between Washington and Beijing.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it detected the Chinese warships and aircraft.
The military has “monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in (combat air patrols), naval vessels, and land-based missile systems,” Taiwanese officials tweeted Sunday. “No PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) vessel has entered our territorial waters since August 4 when the (People’s Liberation Army) drill started.”
Taipei pushed back against reports that a PLAN destroyer, the Nanjing, was recently discovered about seven miles from a power plant on the east coast of the island.
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China’s navy denounces such “disinformation,” Defense Ministry officials said.