China says its fighters shadowed a US Navy patrol plane over the Taiwan Strait.

On Wednesday, the Chinese military announced that it had dispatched fighter planes to Taiwan to monitor and warn a United States Navy patrol aircraft that had flown across the Taiwan Strait. This mission took place several weeks before Taiwan was scheduled to have elections.

There is a claim of sovereignty by China over Taiwan, which is ruled democratically, and China asserts that it has control over the Taiwan Strait. There is a disagreement between Taiwan and the United States since both countries assert that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.

As reported by the Seventh Fleet of the United States Navy, a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance jet, also utilized for anti-submarine operations, was observed flying above the strait in international airspace.

The fact that the aircraft could cross the Taiwan Strait proves that the United States is dedicated to maintaining an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The military of the United States “flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows,” according to a statement.

According to the Chinese military, the trip was “public hype.” They also stated that they had dispatched fighters to watch and warn the American jet and that they would “deal with it in accordance with the law and regulations.”

“Troops in the theater are always on high alert and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and security as well as regional peace and stability,” the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said in a statement. “Troops in the theater are always on high alert.”

It was regarded as “normal” by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, which stated that its forces had been monitoring the United States aircraft as it traveled south via the Taiwan Strait.

When the United States Navy announced that a Poseidon had flown across the strait in October, China stated that it had dispatched fighter planes to monitor and warn the aircraft.

On January 13, Taiwan will have presidential and legislative elections, which China has portrayed as a choice between war and peace. Taiwan is now preparing for these elections.

Over the previous four years, China has increased its military operations in the region around Taiwan. This has included staging two rounds of massive war exercises over the past six months.