China deploys warships around Taiwan after island’s president meets US House speaker in LA

China has sent warships in waters around Taiwan and warned of “resolute” action after the island’s leader Tsai Ing-wen met US House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Taiwan’s ministry of defence said on Thursday morning that three warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China.

The ministry also said that an anti-submarine helicopter had crossed the island air defense identification zone.

Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan said it was keeping a close watch after a Chinese aircraft carrier was spotted off the Taiwan coast.

Taiwan’s defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters at parliament in Taipei that the carrier was spotted on Wednesday, 200 nautical miles (370km) off Taiwan’s east coast.

The developments come as Ms Tsai stopped at Los Angeles as part of her weeklong journey meant to shore up alliances in the US and Central America.

She is due to return to Taipei on Friday.

China views any interaction between the US and Taiwan as a challenge to its territorial claim on the island nation.

It also staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei.

In a statement on Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry promised to take “resolute and effective measures” after the meeting between Ms Tsai and Mr McCarthy.

“In response to the seriously erroneous acts of collusion between the US and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese foreign ministry was quoted as saying by Global Times.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first reported interaction between a House speaker and a Taiwanese president on US soil since the US broke off formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979.

While the US does not have any diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it provides arms under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Washington’s “One China policy” says it takes no position on the status of the two sides but wants their dispute resolved peacefully.

Beijing on the other hand promotes an alternative “One China policy” that says Taiwan is a part of China and the Communist Party is its leader.

After their meeting on Wednesday, Mr McCarthy said at a news conference: “America’s support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan.”

Ms Tsai also said stressed on Taiwan’s commitment “to defending the peaceful status quo where the people in Taiwan may continue to thrive in a free and open society”.

“We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated.”

Additional reporting by agencies