Chinese Military Launches Large-Scale Drills Around Taiwan

1 day ago The Chinese military has announced large-scale drills around Taiwan as it again warned the self-ruled island against seeking formal independence. A spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said the joint drills involve navy, air ground and rocket forces. The exercises are meant to be a “severe warning and forceful containment against Taiwan independence,” the spokesperson, Shi Yi, said in a statement. Tuesday’s drills comes just two weeks after a large-scale exercise in mid-March, when Beijing sent a large number of drones and ships toward the island. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it had tracked 19 Chinese navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island in a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.