Taiwan’s defence ministry stated Thursday {that a} Chinese anti-submarine helicopter and three warships had been detected across the self-ruled island, after President Tsai Ing-wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

“1 PLA aircraft and 3 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today,” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence stated in a press release.

“Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” it added.

The assertion got here after Tsai met McCarthy in California throughout a stopover on her means again from a visit to Guatemala and Belize, that are amongst Taiwan’s solely 13 diplomatic allies.

China had threatened a “resolute” response to the assembly.

Taipei’s Mainland Affairs Council, the island’s high China policy-making physique, on Wednesday accused Beijing of “obstructing” commerce within the Taiwan Strait with on-site inspections on cargo and passenger ships.

Chinese maritime authorities had earlier stated they had been stepping up patrols within the waters separating the island from mainland China with out offering extra particulars.

“The Chinese side’s action deliberately escalates cross-strait tensions,” the MAC stated.

“It is a clear violation of the cross-strait shipping agreement and maritime practice which will have a serious adverse impact on the normal traffic between the two sides.”