Forty-two Chinese fighter jets briefly crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday as China began drills around Taiwan in anger at President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with the US House Speaker.
Taiwan reports 42 fighters crossing Taiwan Strait median lineAnnouncement comes shortly after French president leaves China
"This is a serious warning to the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces' collusion and provocation, and it is a necessary action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Chinese army's Eastern Theater Command said in a statement. Chinese state media released what it said was footage of the drills, set to stirring martial music and showing warships at sea and fighter jets doing airborne refuelling. Reuters could not authenticate when or where the material was shot.There was no broader sense of alarm in Taiwan about the drills, where people are long accustomed to Chinese threats.unspecified retaliation if the meeting with McCarthy - second in line to succeed the U.S.
"I would like to reiterate that the people of Taiwan love democracy and seek peace," she said, without directly mentioning the drills in comments before television cameras.
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