"High alert" status for the Chinese military

(RT) ⸻ A US warplane's recent flight through the Taiwan Strait is a threat to the stability of the region, according to a Chinese army spokesman. The P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine patrol and reconnaissance aircraft flew through the strait separating mainland China and the self-governed island of Taiwan on Monday. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesman for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Eastern Theater Command, said this maneuver "deliberately damaged the regional situation and jeopardized peace and stability". He added that the Chinese military was "on high alert to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity." The US forces in the region acknowledged the maneuver, saying they will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows. China-US relations are experiencing increased levels of tension due to the 'spy balloon' scandal, where a Chinese high-altitude balloon crossed over the continental US in late January and early February. Beijing assured it was a weather aircraft veering off course, while the Pentagon claimed it was part of a vast surveillance network of spy airships. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his planned trip to China, while Beijing accused Washington of "hysteria" and an "overreaction."