China besieged Taiwan: Island blocked, 27 planes' raid; "This is an invasion"

China besieged Taiwan: Island blocked, 27 planes' raid; "This is an invasion"

As they state, Chinese forces are blocking the airspace and waters belonging to Taiwan.

As reported by the French news agency AFP, 27 planes entered Taiwan's airspace.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said earlier that the island will firmly defend its security, oppose any move that violates its territorial sovereignty, and that the military will raise the "level of vigilance" in such a way that it will not provoke conflicts, reports Reuters.

The announcement states that "China continues to wage a psychological war against Taiwan", and that citizens should not believe in rumours, and they are invited to report all fake news to the government. Shortly after the arrival of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taipei, the Chinese military began air and naval military exercises near Taiwan and test launches of conventional missiles in the sea east of that island, according to the British agency.

Military drills by the Chinese navy and air force began Tuesday evening in three sea areas near Taiwan. Taiwan is negotiating with neighboring Japan and the Philippines to find alternative routes for the planes, Reuters reports, citing Taiwan's CNA agency.

Map of combat exercises

The BBC's British China correspondent, Stephen McDonnell, posted on Twitter a geographical map showing the locations where China will conduct military exercises, showing that the island is practically surrounded.

"It seems that the main response from mainland China to the arrival of Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan could be a series of air and sea live fire military exercises over several days all round the island. See map below...", McDonnell wrote.

Beijing has said that foreign aircraft and vessels should not enter the area where the exercises are being held because live ammunition will be used. "On August 3, the Eastern Zone of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) organized joint combat exercises in the northern, southwestern and southeastern waters off the coast of Taiwan, in which the navy, air force, missile forces, strategic support forces and joint logistics forces participated," it was stated in the announcement on the official account of the Eastern Combat Command on the WeChat social network.

A number of photos showing warships, aviation and military equipment were also published, reports RIA Novosti.