China begins joint military drills surrounding Taiwan

The Chinese army has been conducting drills in the Taiwan Strait, the north, south and east of Taiwan Island, and areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin.

Theater Command spokesperson Li Xi said military services, including the army, navy, air force and rocket force of the theater command are being organized to carry out the joint drills, code-named Joint Sword-2024A, from Thursday to Friday.

Li said that the drills focus onjoint seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, joint sea-air combat-readiness patrol and joint precision strikes on key targets. He further said that the exercise, include the patrol of vessels and planes closing in on areas around Taiwan and integrated operations in and outside the island chain to test the joint real combat capabilities of the forces of the command.

The spokesperson stressed the drills also serve as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of "Taiwan independence" forces and a stern warning against interference and provocation by external forces, Xinhua reported.

The increased presence of Chinese military assets near Taiwan underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. Taiwan has frequently raised concerns about China's military activities and its ambitions to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary, according to Xinhua report.

The median line of the Taiwan Strait served for decades as a tacit border between China and Taiwan, but China's military has more freely sent aircraft, warships and drones across it since former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Taiwan Ministry of Defence (MND) tracked the presence of Chinese military vessels around its vicinity.

According to the ministry statement, seven People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels operating around the nation up until 6 am. Taiwan's Armed Forces (ROCArmedForces) monitored the situation and responded accordingly.

"7 PLAN vessels and 4 CCG vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces has monitored the situation and responded accordingly," the Taiwan MND said in a statement.

Recently, Taiwan's newly sworn President Lai Ching-te, in a stern warning to China, has called on Beijing to stop intimidating the island nation, over which China continues to make its claim.

In his inauguration address, Lai called on Beijing "to cease their political and military intimidation against Taiwan, share with Taiwan the global responsibility of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as well as the greater region, and ensure the world is free from the fear of war."

Lai's remarks come after taking office on Monday as Taiwan's new president and kicking off the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) historic third consecutive term in office, CNN reported. (ANI)