China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) carried out large military drills around Taiwan for a second straight day.
According to reports, the PLA Eastern Theater Command said it held joint exercises in several areas around Taiwan, involving land, sea and air operations on Wednesday. The drills are intended to improve the readiness of all branches of China’s armed forces, including the ability to attack ground targets, set up blockades, and control important shipping routes.
These exercises follow similar drills on Tuesday, which also involved China’s coast guard.
Earlier, China’s Ministry of National Defense warned Taiwan’s leaders against “challenging the One-China principle”, accusing Taiwan’s authorities of putting patriotic Taiwanese in dangerous situations. Beijing said that whenever “Taiwan separatist forces” provoke China, its countermeasures will increase “as punishment” until full reunification is achieved.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te recently called China a “foreign hostile force” and announced steps to counter Beijing’s infiltration and disinformation campaigns. He also warned that China’s recent military drills could be used as a “pretext” for a major invasion in the future.
