Chinese vessels, aircrafts detected after Taiwan President's US trip; China says conducting drill around Taiwan till Monday

The Chinese military drills around Taiwan is timed a day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States.

New Delhi:Taiwan Saturday detected 13 Chinese aircraft and three warships around the island, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a tweet. According to Taiwan, thirteen PLA aircrafts and 3 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected around Taiwan by 6 am local time on Saturday.

It said its Armed forces have monitored the situation and tasked Combat Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities. Four of the detected aircrafts - a SU-30, Y-8 RECCE and two J-16 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest Air Defence Identification Zone.

"PLA Eastern Theater Command combat alert patrols and Joint Sword drills have started. It's a stern warning to "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and their collusion with external forces, and a necessary move to safeguard nationall sovereignty, and territorial integrity," Global Times, a Chinese State Affiliated media quoted spokesperson as saying. PLA Eastern Theater Command to hold combat alert patrol and joint exercise encircling island of Taiwan from Sat to Mon, it added.

The announcement of Chinese military drill around Taiwan has come a day after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States. Tsai met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday despite repeated warnings from Beijing against it. This marked the first time a Taiwan President met the US House Speaker on American soil.

President Xi Jinping slammed the US saying that it is "wishful thinking" to expect Beijing to "compromise" on its stand on Taiwan. China claims any official exchange between Taiwan and foreign countries an infringement on Beijing's sovereignty. Earlier on Friday, China slapped sanctions on two American organisations that hosted Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen during her visit to the US.