US condemns ‘provocative’ Chinese activities near Taiwan

TAIPEI, OCT 3( REUTERS )- THE United States urged China on Sunday to stop its “provocative” military activities near Taiwan, after the island scrambled jets to warn away close to 100 Chinese military aircraft entering its air defence zone over a three-day period.

Taiwan, a democratically governed island that is claimed by China, has complained for more than a year of repeated missions near it by China’s air force, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen waves to the media aboard the PFG-1112 Ming Chuan, a Perry-class guided missile frigate (REUTERS)