Shortly before Yellen’s arrival, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater on Thursday. support for the self-governing island republic that split from mainland China amid civil war in 1949 remains a major irritant in relations with Beijing. It said four Chinese aircraft - two SU-30 fighters, one BZK-005 reconnaissance plane and one Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane - crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait that serves as a de-facto border between the sides, and had entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone.Ĭhina claims Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary and sends air and naval missions on virtually a daily basis in an attempt to wear down the island’s defense capabilities and intimidate its 23 million people, who thus far seem largely unfazed by such moves.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it is monitoring the situation from the air and sea, and land-based missile systems were prepared to respond. BEIJING (AP) - China’s People’s Liberation Army sent 13 aircraft and 6 vessels into airspace and waters around Taiwan over the past 24 hours as of early Saturday, overlapping with United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing aimed at mending strained relations.

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