China has begun a third day of live-fire drills near Taiwan in response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent visit to the United States, reports Al Jazeera
The Chinese military confirmed on Monday that Chinese fighter jets had carried out “simulated strikes” near the self-governed island during the exercises, which also included the Shandong aircraft carrier.
“Multiple batches of H-6K fighters carrying live ammunition … carried out multiple waves of simulated strikes on important targets on Taiwan Island,” the Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 vessels around Taiwan.
“R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond [to] these activities,” the ministry said in a statement posted on social media, referring to Taiwan’s official name of the Republic of China.
The ministry said 35 of the detected aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the territory’s air defence identification zone.
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.
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”.
Taiwan’s government has condemned the exercises, while the US has urged China to show restraint.
Meanwhile Japan on Monday said it had scrambled jets in recent days as a result of the drills. In a statement, Japan’s joint staff said it had observed the Shandong and several other Chinese naval vessels in the area south of Miyako island since Friday.
The vessels were spotted between 230 and 430 kilometres (140 and 270 miles) south of Miyako island, in the far south of Japan, the statement said.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
