TAIPEI, April 7, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - China sent warships and aircraft near
Taiwan for a second day on Friday, Taipei said, after President Tsai Ing-wen
angered Beijing by meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Three Chinese warships sailed in waters surrounding the self-ruled island,
while a fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopter also crossed the
island's air defence identification zone, Taiwan's Ministry of National
Defence said.

On Wednesday, China's Shandong aircraft carrier, one of two in its naval
fleet, sailed through Taiwan's southeastern waters on its way to the western
Pacific, hours before Tsai met McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, had repeatedly warned
against the meeting, and reiterated on Thursday that it would take "forceful
measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty".
 
Tsai told reporters her government was committed to ensuring "the free and
democratic way of life of the people of Taiwan" before she left Los Angeles,
where she was stopping on her way back from Latin America.

"We also hope to do our best to maintain peace and stability between the two
sides," she added.
 
Last August, China deployed warships, missiles and fighter jets around Taiwan
for its largest show of force in years following a trip to the island by
McCarthy's predecessor Nancy Pelosi.

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

Premier Chen Chien-jen said on Friday that Taiwan's defence and security
agencies were keeping a close eye on developments, and asked "the public to
rest assured".

On Thursday, the defence ministry said three warships had been detected
around the Taiwan Strait and one Chinese naval helicopter crossed the
island's ADIZ.

The display prompted calls from the United States asking China "to cease its
military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage
in meaningful diplomacy".

"We remain committed to maintaining open channels of communication so as to
prevent the risk of any kind of miscalculation," State Department spokesman
Vedant Patel told reporters.

- 'Quite common' -

McCarthy, who is second in line for the US presidency, had originally planned
to go to Taiwan himself but opted instead to meet Tsai in California.

The decision was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for
Taiwan but avoid inflaming tensions with China, a move analysts say has so
far proven successful.

Tsai said on Thursday that it was "quite common for us to meet our US friends
during transits," she said.

"I also hope the Chinese side can exercise self-restraint and don't
overreact."

McCarthy had vowed that US arms sales to Taiwan -- which infuriate Chinese
leadership -- would continue, in what he said was a proven strategy to
dissuade aggression.

"And what we know through history, the best way to do that is supply the
weapons that allow people to deter war," he said.

"It is a critical lesson that we learned through Ukraine, that the idea of
just sanctions in the future is not going to stop somebody" who wants to wage
war.

Tsai acknowledged the weapons deal on Thursday but did not provide further
details.

"We have purchased arms from the US and we hope the arms will be delivered on
time," she said.

- Sanctions -

On Friday, China slapped sanctions on Taipei's de facto ambassador to the
United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, banning her from entering China and accusing
her of "deliberately inciting cross-strait confrontation".

Beijing's foreign ministry also announced sanctions against the Hudson
Institute, a Washington-based conservative think-tank, as well as the Ronald
Reagan Presidential Library, for "providing a platform and facilitating Tsai
Ing-wen's engagement in 'Taiwan separatism' activities in the United States".

The two organisations are now barred from engaging in transactions and
cooperation with Chinese entities, while four individuals linked to them are
blocked from entering or conducting business in China.