TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) – China’s local shipping authority warned of possible missile debris in waters northeast of Taiwan and said it would ban ships from entering the area.
The maritime safety bureau of southern Fujian has announced that it will ban ships from entering the port from March 9.
The announcement comes after China held major military drills in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s transit visit to the United States last week, where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. , which officially ended on Monday.
Tensions remain high, with China sending more than 200 fighter jets to Taiwan over the weekend, while its own naval vessels circled the autonomous island.
The announcement designates a rectangular area northeast of Taiwan in the East China Sea. The notice sheds more light on the no-fly zone China warned to set earlier this week. Taiwan’s Ministry of Transport announced Wednesday that it has received notice from the Civil Aviation Administration of China that it will set up a “flight restricted” control zone and establish a no-fly zone in parts of northern Taiwan from April 16 to 18.
Taiwan vehemently protested the notification, saying on the morning of April 16 that it had managed to get China to shorten the flight ban from three days to 27 minutes.It is unclear what China plans to do at this time. Taiwan’s defense ministry said Wednesday it was investigating the matter, but did not provide further details.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, a claim that has become a contentious bone in its relationship with the island’s biggest unofficial ally, the United States. The United States sells Taiwanese weapons, and many US lawmakers have visited Taiwan to express their support.
