China Conducting Military Drills around Taiwan

China announced on Monday the start of military drills near Taiwan. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct "Joint Sword-2024B" drills in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, China's news agency (Xinhua) quoted spokesperson for the theater command Li Xi as saying. The drills involve vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces, the spokesperson sid. The drills focus on joint sea-air combat readiness patrol, the blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and the seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, so as to test the joint real-combat capabilities of the forces of the command, Li said. The Taiwan issue remains one of Beijing's most sensitive matters. China sees the self-ruled island an inseparable part of its territory and opposes any act aimed at achieving Tai wan independence from Beijing's authority. Source: Qatar News Agency