BEIJING (Sputnik) – The Chinese army has protested against the United States for a flight of a U.S. a military plane over the Taiwan Strait.
According to the CNN broadcaster, the P-8A Poseidon plane made a ‘reconnaissance’ flight over the Taiwan Strait on Friday, Sputnik reported.
“The U.S. actions pose an intentional interference and destabilization of the situation in the region, harm peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
China is firmly opposing that,” Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Chinese Eastern Theater Command said.
He added that the Eastern Theater Command was permanently on a high alert to protect the national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The development came after Taipei announced on Tuesday that several Chinese warplanes had entered the island’s air zone.
It said at least 29 Chinese fighter jets entered the so-called Taiwan air defense reconnaissance zone on Tuesday. They included fighters, strategic bombers, anti-submarine aircraft and other aircraft.
The United States has provided a large amount of military weapons to Taiwan. Since the beginning of this year, the United States has approved the sale of up to $95 million worth of training and equipment to support Taipei’s Patriot missile system, the Pentagon says.
The first major arms sale to Taipei under President Joe Biden was last August, which saw the approval of 40 Howitzer artillery systems.
Last year, the U.S. sold arms to Taiwan that included drones and coastal missile defenses aimed at upgrading the island’s capabilities against mainland China.
On the other side, China has been stepping up its defensive activities near Taipei to assert its sovereignty claims and oppose U.S. military moves.
China’s military said it had recently conducted an exercise around Taiwan as a “solemn warning” against its “collusion” with the U.S.
China views the island as its territory and under the “One China” policy. Almost all world countries recognize the Chinese sovereignty of the island.
The U.S., too, recognizes Chinese sovereignty over the island but has long courted Taipei in defiance of Beijing.