China’s military claimed on Tuesday that it has dispatched its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to surround Taiwan for manoeuvres intended at practicing a blockade of the self-ruled island, referring to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-Te as a “parasite”.
China maintains that democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to take control of the island.
Beijing has escalated its deployment of fighter planes and navy vessels around Taiwan in recent years to underline its sovereignty claim, which Taipei denies.
The Chinese military claimed Tuesday the drills were intended to convey a “stern warning and forceful deterrence” to accused separatists in Taiwan.
The drills “focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, assault on maritime and ground targets, and blockade on key areas and sea lanes”, said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson of the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command.
China’s armed forces “close in on the Taiwan Island from multiple directions”, he said, describing the move as “a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/china-stages-military-drills-to-encircle-taiwan-labels-president-lai-a-parasite-13876145.html.
