Chinese and Taiwanese ships in military stand-off in sensitive buffer zone as China practises 'precision strikes'

9 April 2023, 14:35 | Updated: 9 April 2023, 14:59

File photo from August 4, 2022 of Chinese forces in the sea near Taiwan (L)
File photo from August 4, 2022 of Chinese forces in the sea near Taiwan (L). Picture: Getty

By Kit Heren

Chinese and Taiwanese ships are locked in a tense military stand-off near a buffer zone in the sea between the two countries.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Some 20 ships are facing each other near the median line, a point in the ocean that Chinese forces have tacitly agreed not to cross. Another 70 Chinese aircraft have also been spotted around the island on Sunday.

It comes after China said its military had simulated precision strikes on "key targets on the island and the surrounding sea areas" on Saturday, the second day of drills, according to Reuters.

Taiwan has also reported several sorties by Chinese air forces in recent days, with a source telling the news wire that Beijing was interested in "foreign military targets.

"Taiwan is not their only target," they said. "It's very provocative."

The incursions come after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visited the US
The incursions come after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visited the US. Picture: Alamy

China claims that Taiwan is part of its sovereign territory, even though the country is democratically governed.

The Taiwanese government said that it would "not escalate conflicts nor cause disputes" but would respond "appropriately" to the Chinese drills.

It said: "Under the unified command of the theatre joint operations command centre, multiple types of units carried out simulated joint precision strikes on key targets on Taiwan island and the surrounding sea areas, and continue to maintain an offensive posture around the island."

China began the exercises the day after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen came back from a visit to the US where she met congressional leaders, which angered Beijing. The Chinese government vies any interaction between US and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its claim to the island.

US would step in if China invaded Taiwan, says expert

Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday in a show of US support for the self-ruled island, along with a bipartisan delegation of more than a dozen US legislators.

The Biden administration maintains there is nothing provocative about the visit by Ms Tsai, which is the latest of half a dozen to the US, but it comes as the US-China relationship has fallen to historic lows, with American support for Taiwan becoming one of the main points of difference.

The formal trappings of the meeting, and the senior rank of some of the elected officials in the delegation from Congress, could lead China to view it as an escalation. No speaker is known to have met a Taiwanese president on US soil since Washington broke off formal diplomatic relations in 1979.

In response to the meeting, Beijing said it would take "resolute and forceful measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity", in a statement issued early on Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It urged the US "not to walk further down a wrong and dangerous road".

In December, China's military sent 71 planes and seven ships towards Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the self-ruled island after Beijing expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a US annual defence spending bill.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
This image taken from NASA video shows the SpaceX capsule carrying NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague.

NASA astronauts 'stranded' in space for months begin journey back to Earth in SpaceX Dragon capsule

Breaking
Israel has launched the largest strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring dozens while promising 'increasing military force'.

Israel launches 'extensive' strikes on Gaza killing '220' as Hamas says attack marks 'unilateral end to ceasefire'

Israel has launched the largest strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring dozens while promising 'increasing military force'.

Israel launches 'extensive' deadly strikes on Gaza, which Hamas says indicate 'unilateral end to ceasefire'

Badenoch is expected to drop the party’s commitment to net zero, which the UK is legally required to reach by 2050, in a speech on Tuesday.

UK net zero target by 2050 is ‘impossible’ without bankrupting Britain, says Kemi Badenoch

John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, the last surviving pilot that served in the Battle of Britain, has passed away at the age of 105.

Last surviving Battle of Britain pilot John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway dies aged 105

A selection of credit cards in a fan.

Almost 20,000 Civil Service credit cards to be frozen in government plans to halve number of cards and cut spending

MPs have been urged to support moves to ban smacking and other forms of physical punishment against children in England.

Ministers urged to back law change which will see smacking children to punish them banned

Polling station at Deptford Park School.

Russian networks tried to disrupt UK election but did not cause ‘notable’ impact, security minister says

IKEA store in Vilnius, Lithuania

Russian spies accused of firebombing Ikea store ‘because colours are the same as the Ukraine flag’

Facial recognition will be used to help passengers skip passport queues at ports.

British travellers arriving back in UK could 'avoid passport queues' with new facial recognition technology

The White House said Trump is ‘determined’ to get a peace deal in Ukraine over the line, as the US president gears up for talks for Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

‘We’ve never been closer to a peace deal’ in Ukraine, says White House ahead of Trump-Putin talks

A prison officer walks down the C wing at Wandsworth prison.

Number of prisoners reaches six-month high, despite thousands being released early to ease overcrowding

Richard Burrows, 80, was found guilty of 54 offences at Chester Crown Court on Monday, including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

Paedophile scout leader who spent 27 years on the run found guilty of dozens child sex abuse crimes

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as Us attacks on Houthis continue

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as US attacks on Houthis continue

Owen Cooper (l) and Stephen Graham (r) star in Adolescence

Revealed: Secret behind incredible camera shot in Netflix's new 'masterpiece' Adolescence

Drag star The Vivienne died after taking ketamine, their family said today

Drag star The Vivienne died from cardiac arrest caused by taking ketamine, family say