Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Sunday it had dispatched aircraft and ships in an “appropriate” response to Chinese military exercises around the island.

Several military ships, aircraft and drones continued joint exercises near Taiwan on Sunday morning, simulating attacks on Taiwan and Taiwanese ships, the autonomous island’s ministry said in a press release.

Today, China ended its biggest military maneuver near Taiwan, in response to… Visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi For the island, it pushed US-China relations to their lowest level in years.

Pelosi, who holds the third-highest office in the U.S. state, has angered China over her visit to Taiwan. He is the highest US official to visit the island in 25 years.

Beijing responded to the move By suspending ongoing bilateral negotiations and partnershipsEspecially in the field of climate change and security.

China’s military also launched the largest military maneuvers in its history, mobilizing aircraft, warships and ballistic missiles, in what analysts saw as a simulation of a siege and invasion of Taiwan.

‘Provocative and irresponsible’

The White House confirmed this on Saturday China’s actions in and around the Taiwan Strait are provocative and recklessChinese aircraft and warships trained to simulate an attack on the island, Taiwanese officials said.

“These actions are a significant escalation in China’s efforts to change the status quo,” a White House spokesman said. It is provocative and irresponsible and increases the risk of miscalculation“.

“They also violate our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which the world expects,” the spokesman added.

Taiwan’s military said on Saturday it had seen “several” Chinese aircraft and ships operating in the Taiwan Strait, which it believed were simulating an attack on the autonomous island.

In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said Taipei forces had “seen several communist aircraft and ships conducting operations around the Taiwan Strait, and some had crossed the median line. They are believed to be simulating an attack on Taiwan’s main island.”

On Friday, the White House called on China to halt military exercises it has carried out since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan to reduce the level of tension in the region.