Taiwan condemns Chinese military drills around island as ‘unreasonable provocation’

Hong Kong/Taipei CNN —

Taiwan has condemned the latest round of Chinese military drills around the self-governing island as an “unreasonable provocation” after Beijing deployed warships and fighter jets in what it described as a “stern warning” to “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.”

The Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said Monday that the drills, involving joint operations of the army, navy, air force and rocket force, are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait – a narrow body of water separating the island from mainland China – as well as encircling Taiwan.

China’s military exercises around Taiwan, a democracy of 23 million people, have become increasingly frequent in recent years and have tended to coincide with events that have angered Beijing.

In August 2022, China launched a week of military drills following a visit to the island by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Similar drills in May came after the inauguration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has denounced as a “dangerous separatist.” The latest exercises are code-named Joint Sword-2024B, implying it’s a follow-up to the drills five months ago.

Ahead of the drills, the Eastern Theater Command released a propaganda video entitled “prepared for battle” on its social media accounts.

The roughly one-minute video shows fighter jets, warships and amphibious assault vessels in the air and at sea, and mobile missile launchers being moved into place. Accompanying text said the command is “prepared for battle at all times and can fight anytime.”

Russian anti-submarine aircrafts fly during joint naval and air drills with China at the Ocean-2024 drills.

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