China conducts another round of massive military drills around Taiwan as US Congressional delegation visits Taipei

China resorted to more highintensity military drills around Taiwan on Monday as one more American Congressional delegation visited the selfruled Island claimed by Beijing challenging its one China policyThe new drills come less than a fortnight after Beijing launched unprecedented war games in retaliation to US House Speaker Pelosis visit to Taiwan sparking fears of a Chinese invasion of the breakaway islandThe US Congressional delegation led by Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey arrived in Taipei on an unannounced twoday visit on Sunday close on the heels of Pelosis visit on August 2 the highestlevel visit by US official in 25 years which riled BeijingThe fivemember delegation is visiting the selfgoverning island to reaffirm the United States support for Taiwan and will encourage stability and peace across the Taiwan Strait a spokesperson for Markey said in a statementThe delegation includes Democratic Representative John Garamendi Alan Lowenthal and Don Beyer and Republican Representatives Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen CNN reportedIn response to Pelosis visit China held its biggest military drills in the busy Taiwan Strait from August 4 to 10On Monday China announced yet another round of military drills in retaliation to the visit by another US delegationSenior Colonel Shi Yi the spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army PLA said that his Command has organised joint combatreadiness security patrol and combat training exercises involving troops of multiple services and arms in waters and airspace around Taiwan Island on MondayAccording to Shi this is a solemn deterrent to the United States and the Taiwan authorities which have repeatedly played political tricks and undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits a PLA press release saidThe troops Command will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard Chinas national sovereignty and the peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits it saidThe group led by Markey met with Taiwans President Tsai Ingwen on MondayReacting to the US Congressional delegation Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing that it is a gross violation of the one China policyA handful of US politicians are colluding with Taiwan separatist forces and attempting to challenge the one China principleThey are overestimating themselves and doomed to fail he saidThe US delegation members will also meet Foreign Minister Joseph Wu during the visit and will also hold discussions with the Taiwanese parliaments Foreign Affairs and National Defense committee on security and trade issues Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs saidThe Taiwanese foreign ministry added that it sincerely welcomed the delegation and thanked them for demonstrating the US strong support toward Taiwan despite escalating tensions with BeijingAuthoritarian China cant dictate how democratic Taiwan makes friends wins support stays resilient amp shines like a beacon of freedom Wu wrote in a post on the ministrys Twitter accountMarkeys spokesperson said the delegation will meet with elected leaders and members of the private sector to discuss shared interests including reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and expanding economic cooperation including investments in semiconductorsOn Sunday the Taiwanese Defence Ministry tweeted that 6 Peoples Liberation Army Navy PLAN vessels and 22 PLA aircraft around Taiwans surrounding region were detected and its armed forces have monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft naval vessels and landbased missile systemsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever