‘SABER RATTLING’

Chinese Fighter Jets Buzz Taiwan Strait Ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s Visit

Beijing has repeatedly warned the House speaker against traveling to the contested island.

Chinese warplanes buzzed the median line dividing the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday morning ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s arrival in Taipei, according to a report. Authorities in Beijing have consistently opposed the House speaker’s trip to Taiwan—which China considers part of its own territory—which is set to go ahead Tuesday. The warplanes flew into the contested waterway where Chinese ships have been stationed near its median dividing boundary since Monday, a source told Reuters. The source added that the unusual presence of the ships and jets, which had “squeezed” the median line on Tuesday morning, was “very provocative.” “We will not take the bait or engage in saber rattling,” White House national-security spokesman John Kirby said ahead of the visit on Monday. “At the same time, we will not be intimidated.”