• Taiwan says China conducted operations in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend.
• Chinese ships and aircraft violated the median line, an unofficial boundary between the two sides.
• Taiwan’s military replied “appropriately” to the live-fire drills, which it calls a mock assault on the island.

The US has chastised Beijing of “provocative” and “irresponsible” behavior after Taiwan said China practiced an assault on the island.

Taiwan announced on Sunday that it will react to the Chinese exercises, which are now on their fourth day, by sending planes and ships.

The escalation comes after a visit to Taiwan by a US group headed by senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

The visit is seen as a threat to China’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, which regards itself as different.

According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, Chinese ships and aircraft conducted operations in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, with some violating the median line, an unofficial boundary between the two sides.

According to Reuters, Taiwan’s military replied “appropriately” to the live-fire drills, which it characterised as a mock assault on the island, by deploying several planes and ships on Sunday morning.

Premier Su Tseng-chang, speaking to reporters in Taipei, accused China of “arrogantly” exploiting the drills to disturb regional stability and urged China to exhibit moderation.

Beijing has not commented on the new exercises, but its four-day series of military manoeuvres in the skies and waters around Taiwan is set to conclude on Sunday.

China has been accused by the US of inflaming tensions.

“These activities are a significant escalation in China’s efforts to change the status quo. They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation,” According to a White House spokesman.

“They are also at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is what the world expects.”

Ms Pelosi’s visit, according to China, “seriously threatened” peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan is seen by China as a renegade province that would ultimately fall under Beijing’s sovereignty. Taiwan, on the other hand, is a self-governing island that perceives itself as different from the mainland.

However, any acknowledgement of this by international leaders enrages China. It stated on Friday that penalties had been imposed on Ms. Pelosi and her family as a result of their visit.

Beijing also said that it will suspend cooperation with the US in a number of crucial areas, including climate change, military negotiations, and efforts to fight international crime.

China, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is taking “irresponsible steps” by restricting crucial communication routes with Washington.

Despite Beijing’s threats, Ms. Pelosi, a long-time China critic and the highest-ranking US lawmaker to visit the island in 25 years, landed in Taiwan on Tuesday.

Ms. Pelosi said during her tour that “the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy”.

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