US deploys four warships, China stations armoured vehicles as tensions escalate over Pelosi's Taiwan visit

New Delhi: The US has deployed four warships including an aircraft carrier in waters east of Taiwan ahead of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's possible visit to the island, Reuters reported.

The Japan-based carrier USS Ronald Reagan had transited the South China Sea, a US Navy official told Reuters.

According to the news agency, Reagan is operating with a guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam, and a destroyer, USS Higgins.

"While they are able to respond to any eventuality, these are normal, routine deployments," the official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, China has deployed armourmed vehicles.

Journalist Bang Xiao shared a footage purportedly showing armoured vehicles on the move in the southern Chinese city of Xiamen.

Last week, in a call with US President Joe Biden last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the US against "playing with fire" on Taiwan.

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Tensions escalate over Pelosi's possible visit

The prospect of Pelosi going to Taipei, which would be the highest-profile visit by an elected US official in 25 years, has triggered increasingly bellicose warnings from Beijing that have set the region on edge.

Pelosi, 82, has yet to officially confirm whether Taiwan is part of an ongoing Asia tour but US and Taiwanese media have reported it will happen.

"The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

Also read: Chinese state media dubs Pelosi’s Taiwan visit another Cuban Missile Crisis, asks if she will pull the trigger

Closely monitoring Pelosi's itinerary: China sends demarches to US over top official's possible Taiwan visit

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said "the US breach of faith on the Taiwan issue is despicable" in comments published on his ministry's website Tuesday that did not specifically mention Pelosi.

Beijing considers self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day seize the island, by force if necessary.

It tries to keep Taiwan isolated on the world stage and opposes countries having official exchanges with it.

With inputs from agencies

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