Taiwan reports that Chinese naval ships have been deployed to nearby waters ahead of expected exercises

BEIJING – The Chinese military seems to be getting ready for anticipated maneuvers following a recent visit by the President of Taiwan to Hawaii and Guam.

According to Taiwan’s defense ministry on Monday, Chinese naval and coast guard vessels were spotted in the Taiwan Strait and the western Pacific, with China also imposing airspace restrictions along its southeast coast until Wednesday.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Chinese side.

The Taiwan defense ministry has activated an emergency response center and initiated combat readiness drills in response, without specifying the nature of these exercises.

The Chinese government says Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes American support and military sales to the self-governing island. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te made stops in Hawaii and Guam during a weeklong tour of the Pacific that ended Friday.

China maintains that Taiwan is a province that should not have its own president or foreign relations.

“It must be pointed out that there is no such thing as a defense ministry in Taiwan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said when asked about the Taiwanese statement. “Taiwan is part of China, and the Taiwan issue is China’s internal affairs. China will firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

China, which views Lai as a separatist, held major military exercises around Taiwan following his inauguration in May and his national day speech in October. It also held a major drill after Nancy Pelosi, then the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, visited Taiwan in 2022.

The Taiwan defense ministry statement said China had restricted air space in seven zones off Fujian province, which faces Taiwan, and off Zhejiang province, which stretches north from Fujian to Shanghai.