It was the second time in less than a month that China military claimed to have conducted war rehearsals around Taiwan that were centered on land strikes and sea assaults.
In a statement released late on Sunday, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command claimed its forces had staged joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan.
China Enters Taiwan Border
In a statement to the media, it was stated that the purpose of the drills was to test the joint fighting skills and respond resolutely to the provocative activities of external forces and Taiwan’s independent separatist groups.
Taiwan, which the Chinese government considers to be its own territory, did not immediately comment. Late last month, China conducted similar drills, Taiwan said that 43 Chinese aircraft breached the Taiwan Strait’s median line, which serves as an informal delineation between the two sides.
China, which has never abandoned the use of force to subjugate the island, has conducted frequent military incursions into the waters and airspace around Taiwan for the past three years.
Furthermore, according to Taiwanese officials, 17 Chinese military aircraft and three ships approached an area near to the island on Friday morning local time as tensions increased.
The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan reported that the planes and ships were spotted at approximately 6:00 am and that officials have been monitoring the situation.
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Taiwan Detains Suspected Spies
Taiwanese government officials are concerned that China is attempting to construct a pretext for an invasion of the island. Over forty Chinese military aircraft have been observed approaching Taiwan.
China conducted military exercises near Taiwan in August, following a visit by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. Beijing’s sovereignty claims are bitterly rejected by Taiwan, a democratic democracy.
The United States is increasing its military assistance to Taiwan, which last year detected about 1,700 warplane incursions into a crucial air-defense identification zone and over 660 ships in adjacent waters. The US Congress approved a $1.7 trillion budget measure in December that authorizes up to $10 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.
In addition, Taiwan apprehended three active-duty officers and a retired Air Force officer accused of espionage for China, according to the Central News Agency in Taipei, a case that hints at the scope of Beijing’s eavesdropping on its much smaller neighbor.
The former officer left the military in 2013 and began doing business in China, where he was recruited to develop an espionage ring, according to a semi-official media site that did not disclose its source of information.
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