China sent warplanes, including fighter jets and bombers, into the South China Sea, breaching Taiwan’s airspace for a second day on Sunday — provocations that come as a test in the early days of the Biden administration.
Beijing sent eight bombers and four fighter jets soaring into Taiwan’s airspace Saturday and another 15 aircraft Sunday.
The US responded by dispatching a carrier group led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt into the South China Sea on Saturday to promote “freedom of the seas” in the waterway, and the State Department released a statement confirming its support for Taiwan.
“We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives,” the statement said in a message also directed at US allies in the region.
“We will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific region — and that includes deepening our ties with democratic Taiwan. The United States will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan.”
“We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability. Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region,” the statement continued.
Taiwan’s defense ministry reacted by scrambling fighters and broadcasting warnings to mobilize “defense missile systems.”
China views Taiwan as its own territory and claims to control wide swaths of the South China Sea even as other nations in the region — Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan — dispute those claims.
In recent months, China has ramped up its naval presence in the region and criticized any military operations in the area by the US as “collusion” with Taiwan.
With Post wires