China slams US for flying aircraft over Taiwan

Beijing: China on Thursday slammed the United States after a military aircraft flew over Taiwan earlier this week.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

On Tuesday morning, a US military C-40A transport aircraft flew along the west coastline of Taiwan. The move was approved, The Global Times quoted Taiwan’s defence authority as saying. However, it has offended China.

Xinhua quoted Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, as saying that the overflight undermined China’s sovereignty, security and development interests and breached international law and basic norms guiding international relations.

“We deplore and firmly oppose the act,” Zhu said. Zhu also condemned the collusion of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with external forces and expressed the mainland’s resolve, will and ability to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. She warned the DPP not to misjudge the situation and urged it to immediately stop the wrongdoings.

For decades, the Chinese government has claimed authority over Taiwan. Though Taiwan is not recognised by the UN, its government maintains a relationship with the US and does not accept the Chinese authority.

The US frequently conducts military operations near Taiwan to reassert the US-Taiwan relationship, gestures that anger China.

Source: ANI