Taipei, 6 August 2022 (dpa/MIA) - In manoeuvres around Taiwan on Saturday, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is performing "what it believed to be a simulation of an attack on Taiwan's main island," according to the Taiwan military. The Defence Ministry in Taipei reported that numerous military aircraft and warships were operating near Taiwan. Some of them had crossed the unofficial centre line in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the mainland and the island and is mostly respected by both sides. In response, Taiwan's military had sent aircraft, radioed warnings and mobilized missile defence systems to track the Chinese military aircraft. China had launched the manoeuvres around the democratic self-governing island republic in response to the visit by leading US politician Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. It was the highest-ranking visit from the US in a quarter of a century. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and vehemently rejects official contacts between other countries and Taipei.