The People’s Liberation Army launched joint exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday, marking Beijing’s latest warning to the island’s “separatist forces”.
In a statement, Colonel Shi Yi said that the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command was conducting patrols and exercises that included simulated air and land strikes, as well as control of key passages to test the joint combat readiness of its troops.
“This is a stern warning and a strong deterrent to the separatist forces of Taiwan independence, and is a legitimate and necessary action to defend national sovereignty and safeguard national unity,” Shi said.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of China to be reunited, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as independent. But Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to supplying weapons for its defence.
The PLA previously held a drill last month after the Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te referred to the mainland as a “foreign hostile force”.
In his strongest rhetoric yet amid rising cross-strait tensions, Lai announced 17 measures on March 13, citing threats from the mainland while referring to Beijing as a “hostile foreign force”.
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