 U.S. and Chinese aircraft carriers deployed near Taiwan. The U.S. has deployed an aircraft carrier in the vicinity of Taiwan. The self-governing island's Defense Minister Chu Kuo-cheng has revealed a Chinese warship of the same class is also in the area. The arrival of USS Nimitz coincided with a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. China considers the island to be part of its territory and strongly opposes Taipei's contacts. With Washington speaking before its parliament's Foreign and National Defense Committee, Chu said the American vessel was 740 kilometers east of Taiwan. He also mentioned the deployment of China's Shandong aircraft carrier 370 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Taiwan. Chu declined to comment on whether the U.S. warship had arrived in the area in response to Shandong's appearance. Tsai and McCarthy held a meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. We are stronger when we are together. Tsai told McCarthy expressing gratitude for Washington's efforts to protect our way of life. McCarthy responded by describing friendship between the people of Taiwan and America as a matter of profound importance to the free world. Commenting on Tsai's latest talks with the top U.S. official, China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the get-together. Diplomats warned that China would take strong and resolute measures in response to Washington's and Taipei's agregiously wrong action, adding that the Taiwan issue was the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.