China's military threats against Taiwan will only increase support for the island from the United States and other democracies, the Foreign Ministry said after China conducted drills nearby as U.S. lawmakers visited Taipei.
Beijing blamed the lawmakers, who included chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez, for raising tensions with their "provocative" trip. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory.
In a statement late on Friday, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry condemned China's "recalcitrant and ridiculous" reaction to the visit, the first by a group of U.S. lawmakers this year.