BEIJING/TAIPEI: The Chinese military on Thursday launched a massive two-day “punishment drills” surrounding Taiwan, involving its army, navy, air force and rocket force, in retaliation for “separatist acts” after the self-ruled island’s new President Lai Ching-te rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims over it.
The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) started joint military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.