As China-Taiwan tensions rise due to a meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen and US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Chinese navy's second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, conducts military exercises in the western Pacific.
The aircraft carrier was located around 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) east of Taiwan, according to comments made by Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng to the media in parliament on Thursday.
Chiu remarked that the "timing" of China's military drills is "quite sensitive," adding that they are currently analyzing their purpose. Al Jazeera reported that no planes had been spotted taking off from its deck at the time.
He then revealed to legislators that Taiwanese warships were keeping an eye on the aircraft carrier at a distance of five to six nautical miles.
On Wednesday, a fleet of Chinese Navy ships headed by the Shandong, China's first domestically constructed aircraft carrier, passed through the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan toward the Pacific.
According to China's state-run Global Times, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command has reportedly been conducting "intensive" military exercises over the last week on land, sea, and air.
On its WeChat account, the Fujian marine safety administration announced earlier that it had started a three-day special monitoring and inspection activity in the central and northern Taiwan Strait, according to Reuters.
China claims self-governed Taiwan as its territory and have not ruled out using force to seize control of the island, igniting tensions between China and Taiwan.
China Issues Warning Following Meeting BetweenTsai Ing-Wen and Kevin McCarthy
Beijing's military drills came as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the US state of California.
Beijing fiercely criticized the meeting between the two politicians on Wednesday. Tsai described it as "warm like the California sunshine." She is now on her way back to Taipei.
Kevin McCarthy acknowledged Tsai Ing-wen as "a great friend to America."
On Thursday, China warned that the United States was headed down a "wrong and dangerous road" after the meeting between Tsai Ing-wen and Kevin McCarthy, per the Military Times.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China warned to take "resolute and forceful" actions to preserve the nation's "sovereignty and territorial integrity" in reaction to the meeting.
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