China’s military last night announced it had ended two days of “live-fire” drills in which it practiced hitting key ports and energy sites, as part of exercises aimed at Taiwan.
Named “Strait Thunder-2025A,” the drills were in the middle and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait as well as the East China Sea, the Chinese military said.
China’s military said it held “long-range live-fire drills,” and practiced hitting “simulated targets of key ports and energy facilities” during the exercises.
Photo: I-hwa Cheng, AFP
Yesterday’s exercises aimed to “test the troops’ capabilities” in areas such as “blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets,” said Senior Colonel Shi Yi (施毅), spokesman of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command.
China’s Shandong aircraft carrier was also carrying out drills testing the ability to “blockade” Taiwan, the Eastern Theater Command said.
Taipei has condemned the Chinese exercises.
The drills in the Strait came a day after China sent its army, navy, air and rocket forces to surround Taiwan for exercises Beijing said were aimed at practicing for “precision strikes” and a blockade of the nation.
That prompted Taipei to dispatch its own air and maritime forces as part of a “Rapid Response Exercise.”
The Eastern Theater Command yesterday kept up its propaganda, posting a “Paralyzing Strikes” poster on its Sina Weibo account, showing Chinese forces surrounding Taiwan and firing missiles at the nation.
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday said it observed the PLA conducting live-fire exercises in the East China Sea.
Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升), head of the Office of Deputy Chief of General Staff for Intelligence, said the live-fire drill was conducted in the East China Sea in a closed zone of 270km by 40km.
The nation’s armed forces were still collecting information on exactly what kind of missiles or rockets were launched during the drill, he said.
Other than the live-fire drill in the East China Sea, which is about 400km from Taiwan proper, Hsieh said the nation’s armed forces did not observe PLA troops conducting live-fire exercises in areas around Taiwan yesterday.
Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in the past few years and held multiple large-scale exercises around the nation that are often described as rehearsals for a blockade and seizure.
Additional reporting by CNA
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