The People’s Liberation Army said on Monday that China’s military forces conducted another round of maneuvers near Taiwan last week to boost collaborative combat operations after the Chinese-controlled island reported an increase in activity.
For the past two years, Taiwan has complained about regular Chinese military action near it, which is largely concentrated in the island’s air defense identification zone, or ADIZ.
On Friday, Taiwan’s air force raced to warn away 18 Chinese planes that had entered its air defense zone, and more incursions were reported on Saturday and Sunday, though with fewer planes.
The Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army stated in a statement that naval and air force assets conducted maneuvers in the east and southwest from Friday to Sunday to the east and southwest of Taiwan.
It stated that the exercises aimed to “further test and develop the joint fighting capacity of numerous services and armaments.” The weaponry involved, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, includes bombers, fighters, and anti-submarine planes.
There have been no guns fired, and the Chinese planes have been flying in Taiwan’s ADIZ, a larger area that Taiwan monitors and patrols to give it more time to respond to any threats.
Eight Chinese military vessels, including an aircraft carrier, traveled between islands in Japan’s southern Okinawa chain, northeast of Taiwan, last week, according to Japan.
Last week, Taiwan conducted pre-announced missile and other drills off its southern and southeastern coasts.
The Taiwan Strait remains a potentially dangerous military flashpoint because China has never renounced the use of force to annex democratically-ruled Taiwan.
China’s sovereignty claims are rejected by Taiwan’s government, which says that only the island’s 23 million people can decide its fate.
