China's military said it practiced hitting key ports and energy sites during "live-fire" drills today as part of exercises aimed at Taiwan.
Named "Strait Thunder-2025A," the drills are located in the middle and southern parts of the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said, which is a vital artery for global shipping.
The military said it held "long-range live-fire drills" and practiced hitting "simulated targets of key ports and energy facilities" during the exercises.
Photo: I-hwa Cheng, AFP
Today’s drills aim to "test the troops' capabilities" in areas such as "blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets," said Senior Colonel Shi Yi (施毅), spokesman of the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it responded by establishing an ad hoc emergency operations center and deploying military aircraft, vessels and coastal missile systems following the PLA's announcement of drills early yesterday.
As of this morning, Taiwan's military was conducting patrols and monitoring Chinese troops, and it was prepared to adjust its combat readiness level based on the level of the PLA threat accordingly, the ministry said.
The US Department of State said Beijing's "aggressive" military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan "only serve to exacerbate tensions and put the region's security and the world's prosperity at risk."
Today’s drills come a day after China sent its army, navy, air and rocket forces to surround Taiwan for exercises Beijing said were aimed at practicing for "precision strikes" and a blockade of the nation.
That prompted Taipei to dispatch its own air and maritime forces as part of a "rapid response exercise."
In the 24 hours ending at 6am today, China deployed 95 aircraft and warships around the nation, including 15 navy vessels and four official ships, the MND said.
Of the 76 aircraft detected, 37 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the nation’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), it said.
The MND also reported yesterday that the PLA's Shandong aircraft carrier engaged in operations about 220 nautical miles (407km) southeast of Taiwan that day.
Between 10am and 4:20pm, 14 Chinese fighter aircraft and helicopters were detected southeast of Taiwan, outside the ADIZ, the ministry said.
These aerial movements were probably related to the operations of the aircraft carrier battle group, it said.
Taipei analyst Sung Wen-ti (宋文笛) said that China was using "stress test after stress test" to gauge the strength of US President Donald Trump's support for Taiwan and other allies in the region.
The two most recent PLA military exercises that used code names were both Joint Sword 2024 drills held last year after President William Lai (賴清德) took office.
The Joint Sword-2024A drills were held from May 23 to 24, while the second-round Joint Sword-2024B was conducted from Oct. 14 to 15.
Additional reporting by CNA
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