BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s military said it carried out combat drills around Taiwan on Sunday, the second such drills in less than a month, as the island’s defense ministry reported detecting 57 planes Chinese.
China views democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military, political and economic pressure to enforce these claims.
The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement late Sunday that its forces had conducted “joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills” in the sea and airspace around Taiwan. , focused on land strikes and sea assaults.
The purpose of the drills was to test joint combat capabilities and “resolutely counter the provocative actions of outside forces and Taiwan separatist forces,” he added in a brief statement.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Monday that in the past 24 hours it had detected 57 Chinese aircraft and four warships operating around the island, including 28 aircraft that flew into the Taiwan Air Defense Zone. .
Some of those 28 crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial buffer between the two sides, including Su-30 and J-16 fighters, while two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers flew south of Taiwan, according to a ministry provided. menu.
China carried out similar drills late last month, with Taiwan reporting that 43 Chinese aircraft crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait.
China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, has for three years carried out regular military incursions into the waters and airspace near Taiwan.
China conducted war games around Taiwan last August following a visit to Taipei by then US President Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan firmly rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s 23 million people can decide their future.
Beijing has been particularly angered by US support for Taiwan, including arms sales.
The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but is the island’s largest arms supplier and an international financial backer.
China views democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military, political and economic pressure to enforce these claims.
The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement late Sunday that its forces had conducted “joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills” in the sea and airspace around Taiwan. , focused on land strikes and sea assaults.
The purpose of the drills was to test joint combat capabilities and “resolutely counter the provocative actions of outside forces and Taiwan separatist forces,” he added in a brief statement.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Monday that in the past 24 hours it had detected 57 Chinese aircraft and four warships operating around the island, including 28 aircraft that flew into the Taiwan Air Defense Zone. .
Some of those 28 crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial buffer between the two sides, including Su-30 and J-16 fighters, while two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers flew south of Taiwan, according to a ministry provided. menu.
China carried out similar drills late last month, with Taiwan reporting that 43 Chinese aircraft crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait.
China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, has for three years carried out regular military incursions into the waters and airspace near Taiwan.
China conducted war games around Taiwan last August following a visit to Taipei by then US President Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan firmly rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s 23 million people can decide their future.
Beijing has been particularly angered by US support for Taiwan, including arms sales.
The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but is the island’s largest arms supplier and an international financial backer.
