China’s military has sent seven ships and more than 70 planes toward Taiwan in a major display of force directed at the self-ruled island.
Early on Sunday and Monday mornings, Chinese aircraft including fighter jets and drones crossed the median of the Taiwan Strait – a violation of an unofficial boundary tacitly accepted by both Beijing and Taipei
A spokesman for China’s People’s LIberation Army said in a statement that the manoeuvres are a response to what he called “US-Taiwan escalation and provocation,” referring to America’s latest defence spending bill, which calls China a strategic challenge and authorises increased security cooperation with Taiwan.