With two nuclear-powered aircraft carrier strike groups policing the Philippines Sea and another forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, the United States has given a strong warning to China to keep away from Taiwan while the latter is embroiled in a conflict with Russia over Ukraine.

The PLA responded to the big US naval drills on Sunday by flying up to 39 warplanes, mostly fighters like the J-10 and J-16, into Taiwan’s south-western air defence identification zone (ADIZ), as tensions over the separatist island country grew. To dissuade the aggressive PLA Air Force, Taiwan’s air force restarted combat air patrols and activated surface-to-air missile weapons. This is the first time the PLA has replied to US drills with such a large number of jets after October 2021.

Also Read | US amplifies warning to Russia amid Ukraine border tensions

This large-scale violation of Taiwanese airspace occurred at a time when the US Navy has three aircraft carrier strike groups in assistance of Taipei and freedom of navigation operations in the Philippines Sea. While the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Abraham Lincoln are operating near Taiwan, the USS Ronald Reagan is stationed in Yokosuka, Japan.

Also Read | US draws down Ukraine embassy presence as war fears mount

In addition to the aircraft carriers, the US has a substantial marine presence with the presence of the USS Essex amphibious readiness group and the USS America expeditionary strike group. The Japanese Hyuga class helicopter destroyer patrols with the large carrier force, with USS strike groups deploying up to 26 F-35 fifth-generation jets.

The US Navy’s buildup near Taiwan sends a strong message to China that it cannot have free access to Taipei while Washington is embroiled in a conflict with Russia over Ukraine. “The message to China is that the US has not turned its gaze away from Beijing and wants the PLA to keep away from Taiwan until the Ukraine situation is addressed,” said a former Indian ambassador to the US.

Also Read | UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss to visit Moscow amid rising Ukraine tensions

Many people believed that the escalation between the United States and Russia over Ukraine would allow President Xi Jinping permission to pursue what China deems its vital interests aggressively. The Biden administration has already informed China that it is monitoring the PLA build-up in Ladakh as the India-China standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) enters its second winter on the Tibetan plateau.