Chinese Military Infringes on US-Backed Territory in Aggressive Provocation

China sent a one-two punch toward Taiwan this week, after a saber-rattling editorial in its state-run newspaper was followed by a massive live-fire drill off the coast of the island.

China claims it is the rightful owner of Taiwan, which became the refuge of the nationalist government of China after the Communist revolution of 1949.

The United States has bent to China’s will by not having formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it has consistently supported Taiwan with arms sales to ensure the island remains independent.

On Tuesday, China said “warships, anti-submarine aircraft and fighter jets had been dispatched close to Taiwan to carry out ‘joint fire assault and other drills using actual troops,'” according to Reuters.

The People’s Liberation Army issued a statement saying the U.S. and Taiwan had “repeatedly provoked and sent serious wrong signals, severely infringed upon China’s sovereignty, and severely undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan strait, which has become the biggest source of security risks across the Taiwan strait,” according to The Guardian.

“This exercise … is a solemn response to external interference and provocations by Taiwan independence forces,” the statement said.