China undertakes new maneuvers to coincide with US congressmen’s visit to Taiwan

The Chinese Armed Forces have carried out new patrol activities around the island of Taiwan, with which they want to “respond” to the visit of a delegation of U.S. congressmen as they did in their day with the trip of the president of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

The Chinese Defense Ministry confirmed Monday military exercises “in the sea and air space surrounding Taiwan,” a day after the delegation led by Senator Ed Markey set foot on an island Beijing claims as its own, according to Bloomberg.

The note does not allude to the use of live fire during these patrols, a line Beijing did cross in the days following Pelosi’s visit. Nor is there any record of an air or sea exclusion order to prevent possible incidents following the latest maneuvers.

A spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry, Wu Qian, has insisted that the current visit calls into question the territorial integrity of the Asian giant and its sovereignty, reports the DPA news agency.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing Wen received the five U.S. congressmen on Monday and Congressman Lo Chih Cheng, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, explained to reporters that the visit sends an “important message” of support.