With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expected to land in Taiwan on Tuesday, Chinese planes and warships "blocked" the imaginary line dividing the Taiwan Strait in a "very provocative" move, Reuters reported.

Beijing has repeatedly warned Pelosi against going to the island nation, which it claims as its own, while the US has said it would not be intimidated by Chinese "sword snatches".

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi predicted that US politicians "playing with fire" on the Taiwan issue "will not end well," according to a statement from the ministry that did not mention Pelosi by name.

So Chinese planes spent Tuesday morning repeatedly performing tactical maneuvers in which they briefly "touched" the so-called "median line" that separates the airspace and maritime territory of Beijing and Taipei before turning the other way. of the strait, said a source informed about the matter.

The person added that Taiwanese planes were on alert nearby while the exercises were being conducted.

Chinese planes left the area on Tuesday afternoon, but Beijing's ships remained, the person said.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said in a statement that it has full command of military activities near the island and will send appropriate forces in response to "enemy threats."

Also, in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, which lies across from Taiwan and is home to a large military presence, residents reported seeing armored vehicles in motion on Tuesday and posted pictures online.

Meanwhile, the US Navy has positioned four warships, including an aircraft carrier, in waters east of Taiwan on "routine" deployments.

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Telegraph

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