US Lawmaker Visits Taiwan... China Shows Military Force with 35 Aircraft and 8 Warships

Chinese People's Liberation Army's J-16 [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] In response to a visit by a U.S. senator to Taiwan, China deployed 35 military aircraft and 8 warships to conduct a high-intensity show of force around Taiwan.

According to a report by Taiwan Central News Agency (CNA) on the 27th, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced that from midnight to 5 p.m. the previous day, 35 Chinese military aircraft and 8 warships operated in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan.

Among them, 15 fighter jets including 8 Su-30s, 3 J-11s, and 4 J-16s crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. Three J-10 fighter jets entered Taiwan's southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

This show of force occurred the day after Republican U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee) visited Taiwan. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated regarding Blackburn's visit, "It violates the 'One China' principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, as well as the promise to maintain only unofficial relations with Taiwan," expressing "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition." The spokesperson also urged the United States to immediately cease all forms of official exchanges with Taiwan.

Earlier, Senator Blackburn arrived in Taiwan on the 25th aboard a U.S. military UC-35A and met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen the following day. Including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, four American politicians have visited Taiwan this month alone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.