TAIPEI/BEIJING: Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Sunday that Chinese warplanes and warships had carried out another “combat patrol” near the island, after Beijing threatened to take countermeasures in response to a $2 billion arms sale package by the United States.
The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, to the constant anger of Beijing.
The Pentagon said on Friday the United States had approved a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery for the first time to the island of an advanced air defense missile system battle-tested in Ukraine.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had detected 19 Chinese military aircraft, including Su-30 fighter jets, carrying out a “joint combat readiness patrol” around Taiwan in conjunction with Chinese warships starting on Sunday morning.
It said the Chinese aircraft flew in airspace to the north, center, southwest and east of Taiwan, and that Taiwanese forces were dispatched to keep watch.
China’s defense ministry did not answer calls seeking comment outside normal office hours.
China stages such patrols around Taiwan several times a month, but this was the first since Beijing held a new round of full-blown war games near the island this month.
In a statement late on Saturday, China’s foreign ministry said it strongly condemned and firmly opposed the latest US weapons sales and had lodged “solemn representations” with Washington.
China urges the United States to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop its dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it added.
“China will take resolute countermeasures and take all measures necessary to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” the ministry said, without elaborating.
China has over the past five years stepped up its military activities around democratically governed Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Taiwan’s government has welcomed the new arms sale, the 17th to the island under US President Joe Biden’s administration.
“In the face of China’s threats, Taiwan is duty-bound to protect its homeland, and will continue to demonstrate its determination to defend itself,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on Saturday, responding to the arms sale.
Taiwan reports Chinese ‘combat patrol’ after Beijing slams US arms deal
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Taiwan reports Chinese ‘combat patrol’ after Beijing slams US arms deal
- The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties
Sri Lanka doubles troops for flood disaster recovery
- Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has doubled its military deployment to regions struck by a cyclone that has killed 635, sending tens of thousands of troops to help areas hit by a wave of destruction, the army said Monday.
More than 2 million people — nearly 10 percent of the population — have been affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the worst on the island this century.
Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said. It has also issued warnings of further landslides.
“Given that mountain slopes are already saturated with rain water since last week, even slight showers could make them unstable again,” an official said, urging those evacuated from high-risk areas not to return.
The center has confirmed 635 deaths, with another 192 people unaccounted for since Nov. 27, when intense rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah triggered landslides and floods.
The disaster management agency warned residents to “take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.”
Army chief Lasantha Rodrigo said 38,500 security personnel had been sent to boost recovery and clean-up operations in flood-affected and landslide-hit areas, nearly doubling the inital deployment.
“Since the disaster, security forces have been able to rescue 31,116 people who were in distress,” Rodrigo said in a pre-recorded statement.
Army spokesman Waruna Gamage said additional troops were deployed as the rescue efforts turned into a recovery operation.
