China says it conducted ‘readiness patrol’ in seas, airspace around Taiwan

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ The Chinese military said on Wednesday it had conducted a combat “readiness patrol” in the seas and airspace around Taiwan in recent days, saying it was a necessary action to respond to “collusion” between Washington and Taipei.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up its military manoeuvres around the island over the past two years or so, as it seeks to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims. China has been particularly unhappy with U.S. support for Taiwan.

U.S. President Joe Biden angered China last week by appearing to signal a change in an American policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan by saying the United States would become involved militarily if China were to attack the island. U.S. officials said there had been no change in policy.

In a statement, the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said the combat “readiness patrol” had happened around Taiwan in recent days and was “a necessary action against U.S.-Taiwan collusion”. “Recently, the United States has frequently made moves on the Taiwan issue, saying one thing and doing another, instigating support for Taiwan independence forces, which will push Taiwan into a dangerous situation,” the command added.