China warships deployed near Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting

TAIPEI: China deployed warships through waters around Taiwan on Thursday (Apr 6) as it vowed a "resolute response" to the island's president meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy - the third highest ranking official in the US leadership hierarchy - and other Republican and Democratic lawmakers met Tsai on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

China had repeatedly warned both sides the meeting should not take place, and deployed an aircraft carrier through waters southeast of Taiwan hours before the talks.

Three additional warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday morning.

An anti-submarine helicopter had also crossed the island's air defence identification zone, according to the ministry.

And China deployed coastguard vessels for unusual patrols that sparked a protest from Taiwan.

Despite Taiwan having been ruled separately for more than 70 years, China views it as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

China carried out its largest-ever air and sea exercises around Taiwan following a visit in August last year by McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, to the island.

China then deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets into the waters and skies around Taiwan.

Its response to the McCarthy meeting has so far been on a much lower level, but still left Taiwan on high alert.

Taiwan's defence minister described the timing of the deployment of the Shandong, one of just two Chinese aircraft carriers, as "sensitive".

"When an aircraft carrier comes out, there are usually takeoffs and landings for aircraft but we have not found any takeoff or landing. We will keep watching," Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters.

When asked if Shandong's deployment was a prelude to Chinese military exercises, Chiu said: "We are not ruling this out".

China has sailed its aircraft carriers near to Taiwan before and at similarly sensitive times.

In March of last year, the Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait, just hours before the Chinese and US presidents were due to talk.

The US aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz is also about 400 nautical miles east of Taiwan, Chiu said.

"It can't be said it's here for us, but as soon as this situation happened - it's all related," he added.

The US Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CHINA COMPLAINS

Tsai's visit to California was technically a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taiwan's dwindling band of official diplomatic allies.

But China had repeatedly issued warnings ahead of the Tsai-McCarthy meeting, and quickly issued another strong rebuke after it went ahead.

"In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Beijing's foreign ministry said.

China's Defence Ministry condemned the McCarthy meeting, but did not threaten specific action.

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army adheres to its duties and missions, maintains a high degree of alert at all times, resolutely defends national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely maintains peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," it said in a statement.

Ko Cheng-heng, deputy head of Taiwan's National Security Bureau, told lawmakers on Thursday they did not expect such a strong reaction from China as followed Pelosi's trip.

"What the Chinese communists care more about is whether McCarthy will visit Taiwan," he said.

China is also trying to show a more diplomatic face to the world, Ko said, noting French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are currently in Beijing.

"So at the moment, they are continuing to put on a more peaceful, great power image."

Taiwan is also concerned about China's announcement late Wednesday that its maritime safety administration is to inspect ships in the Taiwan Strait, including possibly boarding them.

Taiwan has told shipping operators that if they encounter such requests from China they should refuse them and immediately notify Taiwan's coast guard to render assistance.

Defence Minister Chiu said Taiwan will react if Chinese patrol ships cross the Taiwan Strait's median line, which normally serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.