(ANSA) – BEIJING, 08 APR – The Chinese army today announced “combat readiness” exercises in the Taiwan Strait, amid tensions with the island after a meeting of its president Tsai Ing-wen in the United States and the third office in the US state.
“The Eastern Theater of Operations Command of the People’s Liberation Army will hold a preparation exercise in the Taiwan Strait, northern and southern parts of the island, and the airspace east of Taiwan from April 8 to 10,” it said. reads in a statement from the Chinese army. These maneuvers will also include “police patrols”, adds the note from Beijing. The exact place of the exercises is not specified. For its part, the Taiwanese defense ministry said it had detected 13 planes and three warships around the island.
The narrowest part of the strait between the Chinese coast and Taiwan is about 130 kilometers wide. China considers the island, with a population of 23 million, one of its provinces, which it still hasn’t managed to reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war. Ended in 1949, the conflict pitted the Communists, who finally took power in mainland China, against the Nationalist army, which was forced to retreat to the island.
Chinese authorities have tried to diplomatically isolate Taipei since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, because she is a member of a party that traditionally campaigns for independence, an absolute red line for Beijing.
After Wednesday’s meeting in the United States with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, China sent warships, a helicopter and a fighter plane into the Taiwan Strait yesterday and the day before yesterday. (HANDLE).
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