Xinhua

FILE - In this undated record photograph released by China's Xinhua News Agency, 2 Chinese SU-30 combatant jets instrumentality disconnected from an unspecified determination to alert a patrol implicit the South China Sea. China flew much than 30 subject planes, including SU-30 combatant jets, toward Taiwan connected Saturday, Oct. 3, 2021, the 2nd ample show of unit successful arsenic galore days.(Jin Danhua/Xinhua via AP, File)

TAIPEI – A radical of French senators arrived successful Taiwan for a five-day sojourn Wednesday pursuing a ample Chinese amusement of unit with combatant jets amid the highest tensions successful decades betwixt China and Taiwan.

The group, led by legislator Alain Richard, volition conscionable with President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese economical and wellness officials and the Mainland Affairs Council. Richard, a erstwhile French defence minister, antecedently visited Taiwan successful 2015 and 2018, according to Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency, and heads the Taiwan Friendship radical successful the French senate.

China's ambassador to France Lu Shaye sent a informing missive successful February calling connected Richard to cancel the Taiwan visit, according to section media reports.

The sojourn volition apt provoke a rebuke from China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan arsenic its ain territory and truthful opposes immoderate planetary engagement with the land specified arsenic visits by overseas authorities officials. It besides has aggressively poached Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies.

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In its astir caller show of sustained subject harassment, China flew combatant jets 149 times toward Taiwan implicit 4 days from Friday to Monday. The White House called the flights risky and destabilizing, portion China responded that the U.S. selling weapons to Taiwan and its ships navigating the Taiwan Strait were provocative.

Taiwan's defence curate Chiu Kuo-cheng told legislators Wednesday that the concern “is the astir terrible successful the 40 years since I've enlisted." Chiu was answering questions arsenic the legislature decides whether to o.k. a peculiar fund for aerial and naval defence purchases.

China and Taiwan divided amid civilian warfare successful 1949. Today they person extended commercialized and concern ties but nary authoritative relations, and China has progressively mobilized military, diplomatic and economical unit to undermine Tsai's independence-leaning administration.

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Associated Press videojournalist Taijing Wu contributed to this report.

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