China deploys aircraft carrier group off Taiwan coast ahead of US meeting

Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Wednesday a Chinese aircraft carrier group was in the waters off the island’s southeast coast, the same day President Tsai Ing-wen was due to meet US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

China, which claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has warned of unspecified retaliation if the meeting goes ahead.

China staged war games around Taiwan last August following the visit to Taipei of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.