The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) continued to conduct combat readiness patrols and military exercises around the Taiwan Island for a third day on Monday, Reuters reports.
Under the command of the joint operations center, all services and arms coordinated closely to carry out simulated joint containment and information-based strikes.
The troops' capabilities in joint reconnaissance, operations, command and support were all tested during the drill procedures.
The PLA air force of the Eastern Theater Command dispatched dozens of fighter planes to continuously patrol the Taiwan Strait and the northern and southern ends of the Taiwan Island. Relying on joint intelligence support, these fighters carried out drills including searching and destroying military ships and aircraft, air blockade, and taking up a deterrent position around the island from different directions.
Under the cover and support of early warning aircraft, fighters and jamming aircraft, multiple batches of H-6K bombers loaded with live ammunition, launched waves of simulated strikes on important targets on the Taiwan Island.
Meanwhile, the rocket force conducted simulated attacks against moving targets at sea.
During the exercises, a number of destroyers and frigates of the PLA navy force conducted drills such as simulated assaults on military warships and boats of the "enemy" and sea blockade.
The Shandong Aircraft Carrier also took part in Monday's exercises.
On Monday, footage was released showing a bomber performing a simulated air-to-ground strike on Sunday in airspace near the northern part of the Taiwan Island.
Taiwan is on “high alert” amidst a series of military drills simulating strikes on Taiwan, said Taiwan’s defence ministry.
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, began three days of military exercises around the island on Saturday (April 8), the day after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned from her brief visit to the U.S. where she met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
In a video statement, Taiwanese defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang condemned the war games as “destabilising” and “jeopardising” regional security.
“With no intention to escalate the situation, the ROC (Republic of China - Taiwan's official name) armed forces will uphold our sovereignty and maintain our national security in a composed, rational, and thoughtful manner. Meanwhile, our air defence units have remained on high alert. They closely monitor every possible target and react to contingencies accordingly,” Sun said on Sunday (April 9).
Taiwan's defense ministry said on Sunday it had spotted 71 Chinese air force aircraft and nine navy vessels around Taiwan in the previous 24 hours.
