China Again 'Shows Strength' After Senator Edward J Markey Visits Taiwan, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Accuses US Of Ignoring Demarcation

An illustration of a Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet shadowing a Chinese H-6 bomber. (Wikimedia Commons/Military News Service)

JAKARTA - The Eastern Fleet Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has again deployed troops from various combat units to conduct exercises around Taiwan's air and seaspace.

The exercise was held in response to the visit of the United States Congressional delegation led by Democratic senator Edward J Markey to Taiwan on Sunday, August 14 to Monday.

"The PLA is organizing several combat units to carry out patrol and combat preparedness exercises," Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Fleet Command, told the press.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the United States to adhere to the principle of one China and the three China-US joint communique, which stipulates that Taiwan is part of China's sovereign territory.

"The delegation led by US Senator Ed Markey has ignored China's demarcation. This is a clear violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués," he said at a regular press conference in Beijing today.

Ed Markey's visit comes 12 days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which angered China to the point of deploying a massive military force around the island of Taiwan on August 3, 2022.

The deployment of Chinese military forces around the Taiwan Strait was carried out on August 2-7.

On Monday, the PLA concluded the drills.

However, Ed Markey suddenly made visits and meetings of several Taiwanese officials from Sunday to Monday, causing China to re-deploy its military forces.