China deploys warships, aircraft near Taiwan for second day after Tsai-McCarthy meet

China has deployed warships and aircraft near Taiwan for a second day, Taiwanese officials said on Friday, as tensions mount between Beijing and the self-ruled island over a meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Three Chinese warships transited in waters surrounding the island territory on Friday, while a fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopter also crossed Taiwan's air defense identification zone, Chinese Taipei's defense ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the week, China's Shandong aircraft carrier sailed through Taiwan's southeastern waters on its way to the western Pacific on Wednesday, hours prior to a meeting in Los Angeles between Tsai Ing-wen and McCarthy.

Beijing had repeatedly warned against the meeting in recent weeks and issued yet another stark rebuke on Thursday.

"China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the acts," China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, according to the official state news agency.

"In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

McCarthy hosted Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, becoming the most senior American figure to meet a Taiwanese leader on US soil in decades, rebuffing repeated warnings by China.

McCarthy, who is second in line for the US presidency, had initially planned to go to Taiwan himself but later choose to meet Tsai in California.

The island’s defense ministry in a statement on Thursday announced that three Chinese warships had been detected around the Taiwan Strait and a naval helicopter crossed the island's ADIZ.

Last August, China deployed warships, fighter jets and missiles into the waters and air space around Taiwan for its largest show of force in years following a visit to the island by McCarthy's predecessor Nancy Pelosi.

China stages combat patrols over Taiwan Strait amid Tsai’s US visit: Report

A number of Chinese aircraft have reportedly conducted combat readiness patrols over the Taiwan Strait in what is seen as a response to Chinese Taipei President Tsai Ing-wen

US lawmaker pushing weapons shipments to Taiwan

A senior US legislator said on Friday he was doing everything possible to speed up the delivery of weapons to Taipei, further implying that other countries that possess the arms could sell them to the self-ruled island with US government permission.

Taiwan has filed complaints since last year about persisting delays in US weapons deliveries -- such as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles -- as American arms manufacturers send supplies to Ukraine to support its war effort against Russia.

Speaking to reporters on a visit to Taipei, Chairman of the US House foreign affairs committee Michael McCaul emphasized that Taiwan needed to be able to access weapons in view of the threat it faces from China.

"On the weapons issue, I sign off on those deliveries and we are doing everything in our power to expedite this," said the Republican lawmaker, speaking at Taiwan's parliament where he met its speaker You Si-kun.

There is a need to "harden" Taiwan and help its deterrence capability, he insisted.

McCaul went on to note that ideas for getting the arms to Taiwan faster included reprioritizing weapons sales given the island is in a high threat area and "third party sales" -- getting the US government to allow other countries that have these weapons to provide them to Taipei.

"We want to do everything possible to deter a very aggressive nation, Communist China, from ever thinking about landing on the shores of this beautiful island, because that would be a serious mistake for everybody," the hawkish lawmakers further underlined.

Speaking at the same news conference, You claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's inability to quickly capture Ukraine served as a lesson to China's leader Xi Jinping, likening Putin's view of Ukraine as a "delicious meal" that had turned into a fishbone stuck in his throat.

"So I believe this is a warning for Xi Jinping as well," added the Taiwanese top legislator.

McCaul is being accompanied during his visit by seven other lawmakers on a bipartisan trip taking place the same week Tsai met McCarthy in Los Angeles, drawing Beijing’s anger.

The US continues to be Taiwan's most important weapons supplier, drawing Beijing’s wrath. 

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