-PLA Eastern Theater Command completes
patrol, military exercises around Taiwan Island
BEIJING: Secessionist acts of “Taiwan independence” and the connivance and support of external forces to them pose the “greatest danger” to peace in the Taiwan Straits, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
Acts of “Taiwan independence” are incompatible with peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits “as fire and water,” said Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the ministry, in response to questions about the on-going military exercises around the Taiwan Island at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
“To maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, we must firmly oppose all forms of ‘Taiwan independence’ se-cessionist acts,” said Wang.
The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on Saturday announced the launch of combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island.
The operations from Saturday to Monday serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence” and external forces and against their provocative activities, said Shi Yi, a spokesper-son for the command.
At Monday’s briefing, Wang voiced hope that the international community shall recognize the nature of the Taiwan question, adhere to the one-China principle, and oppose all forms of “Taiwan independence” secessionist activities.
Besides, The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday successfully com-pleted all tasks of combat readiness security patrol encircling the Taiwan Island and “Joint Sword” exercise.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Shi Yi, spokesperson for the command, said the integrated joint operation-al capabilities of different PLA services and branches under realistic combat scenarios had been comprehensively test-ed during the drills, which took place from Saturday to Monday. When announcing the operations on Monday, Shi said they served as a
stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence” and external forces and against their provocative activities.
The PLA practiced seizing control of sea, air and information on Saturday, and carried out simulated joint precision strikes on key targets on the island of Taiwan and in its surrounding waters on Sunday.
The Shandong aircraft carrier group joined Monday’s drills. In a video broadcast by China Central Television, a J-15 car-rier-borne fighter jet is seen taking off from the deck of the aircraft carrier.
During the exercises, several destroyers and frigates conducted suppressive combat patrol missions, as they carried out training courses including assaults on fleeing hostile vessels and maritime blockade.
Zhang Benming, an officer with the unified command of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said the military services advanced the “all-weather and multi-directional” encircling of the island of Taiwan, comprehensively testing their abil-ity of command control, precision strike and three-dimensional blockade supported by the unified command system.
Zhang said that the command troops will prepare for and be ready for battle at all time, and crush any kind of “Taiwan independence” secessionist or external interference attempts. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
