China on Saturday announced that it had begun three days of military exercises around Taiwan. China's People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command announcement came a the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen returned from a trip to the United States.
PLA said that it would hold "combat readiness patrols" and exercises in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of Taiwan "as planned".
While Taiwan's defence ministry said that it would respond calmly and with a serious attitude, neither escalating conflicts nor causing disputes, after China announced plans for the drills, reported The Guardian.
The Ministry also said that 12 PLA warplanes and three ships were detected inside its air defence identification zone (ADIZ), including four planes which crossed the median line- a de facto border in the Taiwan Strait.
Since the drills in August last year, PLA has sent planes and ships into the ADIZ on a near daily basis.
"In recent years the (Chinese Communist Party) has continued to send aircraft and ships to harass the region, threatening the regional situation," the ministry said.
"It has used president Tsai's visit to the US as an excuse to conduct military exercises, seriously damaging regional peace, stability and security."
The People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist party said that “All countermeasures taken by Chinese government belong to China's legitimate and legal right to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Reportedly, Tsai will meet a visiting US delegation of lawmakers led by Michael McCaul, chairman of the House foreign affairs committee later on Saturday.
However, China is yet to announce whether they will be carrying out missile drills. While announcing the drills, China had also released a map showing the maritime areas near Taiwan it would be firing into.
Also, Chinese maritime authorities has announced an inspection patrol operation in the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan's government directed its vessels and cargo ships to refuse any such attempt by the patrols to board.
China's announcement came hours after French president Emmanuel Macron, left China following meetings with senior leaders including president Xi Jinping, in which Macron urged Beijing to talk to Russia over war.
China on Friday announced sanctions against two Asia-based organisations and Taiwan's representative in the US in response to the closely watched meeting this week between the US House Speaker and Taiwan's president. Despite China's warnings, Taiwan president met with US Speaker last week.
