She came; China raised fighter planes PHOTO/VIDEO

She came; China raised fighter planes PHOTO/VIDEO

Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the Chinese-claimed island in 25 years.

Fighter jets of the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army took off tonight local time in the direction of Taiwan, reports China Central Television.

SU-35 aircraft cross the Taiwan Strait.

This visit caused an increase in tensions between China and the United States. China claims that Taiwan is part of its territory, which will be annexed by force if necessary, and sees visits by foreign government officials as recognition of the island's sovereignty.

China has warned of "decisive and strong measures" if Nancy Pelosi goes ahead with the trip. The Biden administration did not explicitly urge Nancy Pelosi to cancel the trip.

Reuters could not immediately determine whether Nancy Pelosi or her delegation were indeed on the SPAR19 flight.

The plane took off from Kuala Lumpur at 9:42 a.m. CET and flew east towards Borneo on a route that bypassed the South China Sea.

On the "Flight Radar 24" website, this flight was the most tracked since flights have been tracked.

The first statement after the plane landed

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and members of the congressional delegation made the announcement upon their arrival in Taiwan.

The statement was reported in full by the media: "Our congressional delegation's visit to Taiwan honors America's unwavering commitment to support a vibrant Taiwanese democracy. Our visit is part of our broader Indo-Pacific journey—including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan—focused on mutual security, economic partnership, and democratic governance.

Our discussions with Taiwan's leadership will focus on reaffirming our support for our partner and promoting our shared interests, including the advancement of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. America's solidarity with Taiwan's 23 million people is more important today than ever, as the world faces a choice between autocracy and democracy.

Our visit is one of several congressional delegations to Taiwan - and in no way contradicts long-standing United States policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the US-China Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances. The United States continues to oppose unilateral efforts to change the status quo."

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced

Tonight, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the visit of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan, despite warnings from the Chinese side.

The Ministry states that it lodged a protest with the American side. China's MFA says the visit sends "wrong signals to separatist forces" who are seeking "Taiwan independence," Chinese television CGTN reported.

Nancy Pelosi's visit seriously violates the "One China" principle, the statement emphasized.