Taiwan simulates Chinese attack defense drills

Taiwanese navy launches a US-made Standard missile from a frigate. (Photo: AFP )

After days of enormous Chinese military exercises, Taiwan's military began live-fire artillery training simulating defense against an invasion, according to Lou Woei-jye, the spokesman for Taiwan's Eighth Army Corps.

During its exercises, China purportedly simulated strikes on Taiwan's main island, with repeated batches of Chinese planes and ships crossing the Taiwan Strait's middle line.

China escalated its provocative military exercises and warplane incursions as Beijing announced sanctions against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her high-stakes visit to Taiwan and canceled bilateral talks with the United States on defense, climate change, and a variety of other issues.

Pelosi's travel to Taiwan, during which she met with President Tsai Ing-wen and other leaders, enraged China's governing Communist Party, which regards the self-governed, democratic island as their territory that must be forcibly reunified with the mainland.

As a furious response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China announced four days of military drills in six designated zones surrounding Taiwan. Friday was the second day that the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which supervises Taiwan, conducted joint combat exercises and training in the northern, southwestern, and eastern oceans and airspace off Taiwan island.

The PLA despatched 68 aircraft and 13 warships for activities surrounding the Taiwan Strait, a portion of which breached the median line and threatened the status quo of the strait.

In response to Pelosi's visit, the PLA launched a series of live-fire exercises and training operations around Taiwan, including the launch of several ballistic missiles. More than 100 aircraft, including the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the J-16 strike jet, and the YY-20 aerial refueling aircraft, were dispatched to the airspace to the north, southwest, and southeast of Taiwan to conduct a joint survey, air penetration, and fire support drills, according to the China Daily.

Publish : 2022-08-09 12:27:00

Give Your Comments