China continues unprecedented military drills around Taiwan

China on Monday continued its unprecedented military drills around Taiwan extending the schedule of war games launched in retaliation to the visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the breakaway island which Beijing claims is part of its territoryThe Peoples Liberation Army PLA Eastern Theatre Command which oversees Taiwan said on Monday it would continue drills in waters near Taiwan island focusing on antisubmarine and airtoship strikes staterun Global Times reportedThe PLA conducted joint drills involving all wings of its armed forces in six areas around the island from August 4 to 7The PLAs latest announcement notice did not specify the location of the exercises nor did it mention when they would endThe PLA on Sunday proceeded with the plan and continued realistic combatscenario joint exercises in the sea and air space around the island of Taiwan practicing island capturing drills and bomber deterrence flights in Taiwan Strait a rehearsal for real operation staterun Global Times reported on SundayThe PLA Command in a late last night press release said its forces continued its joint combat training exercises as scheduled on Sunday in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan islandThe focus on Sunday was set on testing the capabilities of using joint fires to strike land targets and striking longrange air targets an early Monday staterun Xinhua news agency report saidThe air force under the theatre command deployed multiple types of warplanes including early warning aircraft bombers jamming aircraft fighterbombers and fighter jets to conduct drills on such combat missions as joint reconnaissance airspace control operation strikes on ground targets and air support and coverSupported by naval and air combat systems the air strike forces together with longrange multiple launch rocket systems and conventional missile troops conducted drills of joint precision strikes on targetsMultiple bomber formations flew across the Taiwan Strait from north to south and from south to north while several fighter jets conducted joint drills with destroyers and frigatesThe operation has tested the tactics of systems warfare under informationbased conditions and honed and improved the capabilities to destroy crucial island targets with precision strikes Zhang Zhi an air force officer of the PLA Eastern Theatre Command said according to the reportDuring the fourday exercises several batches of multiple types of warplanes attached to the PLA Eastern Theatre Command conducted systematic island attack drills with the focus being honing the joint land attack and longrange air strike capabilities the PLA Eastern Theatre Command saidWhile there is no official announcement here on ending the drills reports said the PLA is reviewing the impact of the unprecedented war games involving all wings of its military as questions remained about its next move heightening Beijings dilemma over the future course of actionIn the last four days the Chinese military flew hundreds of planes drones and fired missiles with different ranges which Taiwan termed as simulated attacks and appealed for international helpChina also suspended a range of defence and military exchanges with the US besides imposing sanctions on Pelosi as part of a slew of countermeasures to protest against her trip to Taipei on Tuesday and Wednesday that infuriated Beijing which saw it as a violation of the oneChina policyChina claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to annex it by force if necessary The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing considers visits to Taiwan by foreign officials as recognising its sovereigntyTaiwans Ministry of National Defence emphasised that its military was keeping a watch on the situation and dispatched aircraft and ships to respond accordinglyPelosis visit to Taiwan on Wednesday and her meetings with President Tsai Ingwen and other leaders has infuriated ChinaThe visit of Pelosi the top US leader in 25 years to visit Taiwan came at a politically sensitive time as President Xi Jinping who is set to complete his second fiveyear term this year and is widely expected to continue in power unlike his predecessors who retired after a 10year tenureThe third term for Xi 68 is widely expected to be endorsed by the onceinafiveyear Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China CPC which is expected to be held in the next few monthsChina apprehends that Pelosis visit will open floodgates for similar visits by world leaders especially from Japan and the European Union EU undermining the credibility of its claims over the island whose majority population preferred to remain independentThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever