China drills rehearsing 'encirclement' of Taiwan: state media

BEIJING: China’s military drills on Saturday are rehearsing an “encirclement” of Taiwan, state media reported.

“The task force will simultaneously organise patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture,” state broadcaster CCTV said.

The report, published online, went on to detail the type of weaponry China was using during the drills.

CCTV said “long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers and refuellers” had all been deployed in the war games.

China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday, following a meeting between Taiwan president and the US House speaker.

Dubbed “United Sharp Sword”, the three-day operation — which state media said includes rehearsing an encirclement of Taiwan — will run until Monday, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Tsai immediately denounced the drills, pledging to work with “the US and other like-minded countries” in the face of “continued authoritarian expansionism”.

China’s war games will send planes, ships and personnel into “the maritime areas and air space of the Taiwan Strait, off the northern and southern coasts of the island, and to the island’s east”, said Shi Yin, a PLA spokesman.

A later report from state broadcaster CCTV said: “The task force will simultaneously organise patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture.”

Exercises on Monday will include live-fire drills off the coast of China’s Fujian province, which faces Taiwan, the local maritime authority said.

The manoeuvres come after a meeting between President Tsai Beijing and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

“These operations serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and external forces and against their provocative activities,” the PLA’s Shi said.

“The operations are necessary for safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan’s defence ministry said eight Chinese warships and 42 fighter jets were detected around the island on Saturday.