(MENAFN) On Monday, the Chinese military announced that it conducted joint drills around the Taiwan Strait, encompassing the northern, southern, and eastern regions of the island. According to Li Xi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the exercises, dubbed Joint Sword-2024B, involved various naval vessels and aircraft approaching Taiwan from multiple directions to carry out coordinated attack drills.

The primary focus of these exercises was to enhance sea-air combat readiness, block key ports, target land and sea objectives, and achieve comprehensive control over the battlefield, as outlined in a statement from the PLA. Li stressed that the drills were intended as a strong deterrent against activities promoting "Taiwan independence" and were essential for safeguarding Beijing's "national sovereignty and national unity."

This marked the second series of military drills conducted by the Chinese military near Taiwan since the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te in May of this year. The timing of the exercises coincided with a national day speech delivered by Lai, in which he asserted that Beijing had "no right" to represent Taiwan, emphasizing that Taipei is not a "subordinate" entity to Beijing.

In his speech, Lai declared, "The Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. On this land, democracy and freedom are growing and thriving. The People's Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan." This statement reflects the ongoing tensions between the two sides and underscores Taiwan's commitment to its sovereignty amid increasing military pressure from China.

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