Chinese military rehearses ‘blockade Taiwan’ exercise with live-fire drills

Kathmandu: China has kicked off a third day of live-fire drills near Taiwan in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent trip to the United States.

China’s military said the exercises were to practise ‘sealing off’ of Taiwan, while state television said they had formed a ‘multidirectional island-encompassing blockade situation’.

China on Monday sent nearly a dozen warships and 70 fighter jets toward Taiwan. After China sent huge forces, Taiwanese military has readied its navy and its land-based missile.

Chinese fighter jets carried out “simulated strikes” near the self-governed island during the exercises, which also included the Shandong aircraft carrier, the Chinese military said on Monday.

The three-day operation dubbed “Joint Sword”, which kicked off on Saturday, is intended to rehearse an encirclement of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory and has threatened to take by force if necessary.

Taiwan’s government has condemned the exercises, while the US has urged China to show restraint.

Japan said on Monday it was closely following the drills, which are taking place in waters close to its Okinawa Islands, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno saying ‘peace and stability’ in the Taiwan Strait were important for the security of both Japan and the international community.