The Kremlin also accused the United States of artificially fuelling tensions in the region. The statement came at the time when China fired multiple missiles around Taiwan as it launched unprecedented military drills a day after a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-ruled island that Beijing regards as its sovereign territory.
When asked about China’s drills, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “This is China’s sovereign right.
“The tension in the region and around Taiwan was provoked… by the visit of Nancy Pelosi.
“It was an absolutely unnecessary visit and an unnecessary provocation.”
Taiwan’s defence ministry said its troops fired flares late on Thursday to deter four drones that flew above the area of its Kinmen islands, which are just off the southeastern coast of China, Reuters reports.
China has sent 22 fighter jets across the “median line” running down the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, according to Taipei’s defence ministry.
The Ministry of National Defence said “air defence missile systems” were deployed to track the jets and radio warnings were broadcast, according to an update on its website.
The US said on Thursday that China’s launch of ballistic missiles around Taiwan was an overreaction to the visit of US House speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island.
White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters: “China has chosen to overreact and use the speaker’s visit as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait.”
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