UPDATE: 08 04 2023: 11:30 p.m.: The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense responded to China's announcement in a press release, writing that it has deployed surveillance measures and is highly vigilant about Chinese activities around the country. The ministry accused China of "severely sabotaging regional peace, stability, and security" and added it will maintain a calm, rational, and serious attitude when dealing with the matter so as to "not escalate conflicts, not incite disputes" while defending Taiwan's sovereignty and security.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China said starting Saturday (April 8), it will conduct a three-day drill around Taiwan following Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MOD) said in a statement that the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command will organize a “combat readiness patrol” and a “united sword” drill in the Taiwan Strait and the airspace to the north, south, and east of Taiwan. It claimed that the drill was “planned.”

The announcement came after Tsai returned from a tour through the Americas, which ended with a meeting with McCarthy and other bipartisan U.S. representatives in Los Angeles. China had repeatedly protested the meeting since and threatened to “take resolute measures to defend the completeness of its sovereignty and territory."

In addition to the ministry of defense drill, the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration announced on Friday (April 7) that it would conduct a “live rounds” drill near Luoyuan Wan between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday, Tuesday (April 11), Thursday (April 13), Saturday (April 15), April 17, and April 20. Additionally, on Monday (April 10), there will also be a live rounds drill near Pingtan.