Amid heightened tensions with China following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit, the deputy head of Taiwan defence ministry's research and development unit was found dead on Saturday, 6 August, news agency Reuters reported, quoting Central News Agency.
Ou Yang Li-hsing, who reportedly supervised various missile production projects, was reportedly found dead on Saturday morning in a hotel room.
Li-hsing had taken over the deputy head of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and was on a business trip to the southern county of Pingtung, according to Taiwanese media quoted by Reuters.
The authorities are still investigating the cause of death.
Taiwan Accuses China of Simulating Attack on Main Island
Earlier on Saturday, Taiwan accused the Chinese military of simulating an attack on its main island, after China on Friday stepped up its provocative military drills and warplane incursions in the Taiwan Strait.
China has declared four days of military exercises in six designated zones surrounding Taiwan, as part of its angry response to Pelosi's visit to Taipei.
The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which oversees Taiwan, continued to conduct joint combat exercises and training in the northern, southwestern and eastern waters and airspace off Taiwan island for the second day on Friday.
The PLA dispatched 68 aircraft and 13 vessels for the activities around the Taiwan Strait, part of which had crossed the median line and jeopardised the status quo of the strait, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Twitter.
More than 100 aircraft, including the PLA's best combat planes – such as the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the J-16 strike jet and the YY-20 aerial refuelling aircraft – were sent to airspace to the north, southwest and southeast of Taiwan to perform joint reconnaissance, air penetration and fire support drills, state-run China Daily reported.
More than 10 guided-missile destroyers and frigates had been deployed near Taiwan to enforce blockade and area-denial tasks, it said.
"The recent coercion from People's Republic of China's drills around us aimed to change the status quo of Taiwan Strait, violated our sovereignty, and caused tension in the Indo-Pacific region. #ROCArmedForces seek no escalation, but we succumb to no challenges and respond with reason," Taiwan's Defence Ministry tweeted.
(With inputs from Reuters and PTI.)
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