China condemns US military flyover over Taiwan Strait
China's military says the recent flight of a US maritime plane over the Taiwan Strait posed a threat to regional security, noting its forces are closely monitoring the situation.
The military said the flight on Friday disrupted the situation in the region and threatened peace and stability, adding Beijing mobilized its air and naval forces to monitor US aircraft's operation.
Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, said in a statement that Beijing strongly opposes US actions in this regard and that the Chinese military forces are on high alert.
This came after Taipei announced on Tuesday that several Chinese warplanes had entered the island's air zone.
It said at least 29 Chinese fighter jets entered the so-called Taiwan air defense reconnaissance zone on Tuesday. They included fighters, strategic bombers, anti-submarine aircraft and other aircraft.
The United States has provided a large amount of military weapons to Taiwan. Since the beginning of this year, the United States has approved the sale of up to $95 million worth of training and equipment to support Taipei's Patriot missile system, the Pentagon says.
The first major arms sale to Taipei under President Joe Biden was last August, which saw the approval of 40 Howitzer artillery systems.
Last year, the US sold arms to Taiwan that included drones and coastal missile defenses aimed at upgrading the island’s capabilities against mainland China.
On the other side, China has been stepping up its defensive activities near Taipei to assert its sovereignty claims and oppose US military moves.
China's military said it had recently conducted an exercise around Taiwan as a "solemn warning" against its "collusion" with the US.
China views the island as its territory and under the “One China” policy, almost all world countries recognize the Chinese sovereignty of the island.
The US, too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island but has long courted Taipei in defiance of Beijing.
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