China deploys warships near Taiwan after Tsai, McCarthy meet

China on Thursday deployed warships through waters around Taiwan as it vowed a ‘resolute response’ to the island’s president meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 

Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday held talks with McCarthy in Los Angeles, expressing gratitude afterwards for the meeting that included other US lawmakers and she said showed her island had international support.

“Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated, and we are not alone,” Tsai told reporters.

China had repeatedly warned both sides the meeting should not take place and deployed an aircraft carrier through waters southeast of Taiwan hours before the talks.

“Three additional warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China,” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday morning.

An anti-submarine helicopter had also crossed the island’s air defence identification zone, according to the ministry.

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In addition, China deployed coastguard vessels for unusual patrols that sparked a protest from Taiwan. 

Taiwan on high alert

Despite Taiwan having been ruled separately for more than 70 years, China views it as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it by force if necessary. 

China carried out its largest-ever air and sea exercises around Taiwan following a visit in August last year by McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi to the island. 

Former US house of representatives’ speaker Nancy Pelosi (L) with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (R) at the presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 3, 2022. PHOTO | AFP

China then deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets into the waters and skies around Taiwan.

Its response to the McCarthy meeting has so far been on a much lower level, but still left Taiwan on high alert.

Taiwan’s defence minister described the timing of the deployment of the Shandong, one of just two Chinese aircraft carriers as ‘sensitive’.

“When an aircraft carrier comes out, there are usually take-offs and landings for aircraft, but we have not found any take-off or landing. We will keep watching,” Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters.

When asked if Shandong’s deployment was a prelude to Chinese military exercises, Chiu said they are not ruling it out.

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Tsai’s visit to California was technically a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taiwan’s dwindling band of official diplomatic allies.

China repeatedly warned

But China had repeatedly issued warnings ahead of that the Tsai-McCarthy meeting and quickly issued another strong rebuke after it went ahead.

“In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the US and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said.

McCarthy, who is second in line to the US presidency, had originally planned to go himself but opted instead to meet Tsai in California.

The decision was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for Taiwan but avoid inflaming tensions with China.

McCarthy said after meeting Tsai that a shared belief in freedom and democracy underpinned a relationship that was a matter of profound importance to the free world.

McCarthy vowed US arms sales to Taiwan which infuriate Chinese leadership would continue, in what he said was a proven strategy to dissuade aggression.

Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy. PHOTO | AFP

“And what we know through history, the best way to do that is supply the weapons that allow people to deter war,” he said.

“It is a critical lesson that we learned through Ukraine, that the idea of just sanctions in the future is not going to stop somebody who wants to wage war,” he added.

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There were no initial signs of extra military activity on Thursday morning on Pingtan island in South-eastern China, home to the country’s People’s Liberation Army base and known as the closest point on the mainland to Taiwan. 

China inspection plans

AFP journalists on Pingtan last year had witnessed missile launches and army helicopters flying over the island following Pelosi’s visit.

However, Taipei’s Mainland Affairs Council said Chinese coast guard vessels were obstructing trade by carrying out on-site inspections on cargo and passenger ships. 

Chinese maritime authorities on Wednesday announced coastguard patrols in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan said China had said they were planning to carry out inspections of cargo and passenger ships.

“The Chinese side’s action deliberately escalates cross-strait tensions.”

“This is a clear violation of the cross-strait shipping agreement and maritime practice which will have a serious adverse impact on the normal traffic between the two sides,” Taiwan’s top China policy-making body the Mainland Affairs Council, said late Wednesday.

“Taiwanese vessels have been ordered to refuse Chinese inspection demands,” Taiwan National Security Bureau deputy director general Ko Cheng-heng said on Thursday.