China has commenced a series of military exercises lasting three days around Taiwan as a response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, in California. China claims Taiwan as its own and has refused to eliminate the use of force to achieve its objectives. The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command declared that it would undertake “combat readiness patrols” until April 10, dubbed “United Sharp Sword,” which will comprise exercises in the Taiwan Strait to the north and south of the island and in the sea and airspace to the east.

The PLA emphasized that these military exercises were a “serious warning” to Taiwan’s independence separatist forces and external forces’ collusion and provocation, and a necessary action to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Tsai met McCarthy while returning from a tour of Central America, Taiwan’s two remaining formal allies, and returned home on Friday. Beijing had threatened retaliation even before the meeting took place. On Wednesday, the Shandong aircraft carrier was observed sailing through Taiwan’s southeastern waters on its way to the western Pacific hours before the meeting.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has stated that it is monitoring the situation and will react appropriately to safeguard the island’s security. The Ministry also declared that China was using Tsai’s US visit “as an excuse to carry out military exercises, which has seriously damaged regional peace, stability, and security.”

On Friday, Beijing imposed tighter sanctions against Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim, and the Ronald Reagan Library, where Tsai and McCarthy met, but refrained from the more obvious reaction that occurred after the visit of McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, to the island last August. On that occasion, China staged days of war games around Taiwan, including the firing of missiles across the island.

Analysts suggest that the initial, muted response to the Tsai-McCarthy meeting could have been because it took place in the US or because it coincided with a visit to Beijing by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The PLA’s drills began shortly after Macron and von der Leyen, who were focused on the Ukraine crisis, had left.

On Saturday morning, Taiwan’s defense ministry stated that 42 Chinese planes and eight ships had crossed the strait’s median line, which usually serves as an informal buffer between the two sides. A delegation of US legislators, led by Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is presently visiting Taiwan and met Tsai for lunch on Saturday. McCaul stated that the delegation was in Taipei to demonstrate its support for the democratic island, while Tsai said that the people of Taiwan cherished democracy and sought peace.

Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur.

Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus, ut aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur aut perferendis doloribus asperiores repellat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

“Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat”

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt.

Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio. Nam libero tempore, cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus, omnis voluptas assumenda est, omnis dolor repellendus.

Nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur.

At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi, id est laborum et dolorum fuga.

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur.

At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi, id est laborum et dolorum fuga.

Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur.

“Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat”

Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus, ut aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur aut perferendis doloribus asperiores repellat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt.

Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio. Nam libero tempore, cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus, omnis voluptas assumenda est, omnis dolor repellendus.

Nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.