Despite the dispute over the South China Sea, Taiwanese fishermen brave the ocean. (Photo : Getty Images)
China's recent movement in the disputed waters alerted Taiwanese military officials and prompted them to gear up fighter jets and navy ships as the aircraft carrier passed by. The military ship passed by a narrow channel dividing China and Taiwan.
Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that China should be denied access to the channel. He said, "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops and, second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed."
U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is trying to regain closeness with Taiwan and refuses to recognize the one-China policy.
Until now, the U.S. did not recognize Taiwan as an independent state and did not express interest in creating partnerships with Taiwan.
Officials from China criticized Tillerson's remarks. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, "the United States is not a party to the South China Sea dispute."
Chinese state media also blasted the former Exxon executive and stated, "These provocations, pressure, fantasies and over-exaggerations will not prevent the normal drills of the Chinese military."
The daily also commented that any nation outside the region who wishes to meddle "can only run counter to the consensus of common interests that accords with this region and the world."
Chinese military exercises will be "a kind of normal, extremely normal drills," according to the paper, signifying the intention that military exercises in the South China Sea will intensify.
China has been in dispute over the jurisdiction of the South China Sea. Other countries involved are Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
