According to a brief statement from China’s Defense Ministry, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command staged manoeuvres in seas and airspace to the east and southwest of Taiwan from May 6 to 8, according to Anadolu Agency.
The exercises were designed to “test and strengthen the joint operations capabilities of several services and arms,” according to the ministry.
The current military drills coincide with increased China’s aviation activity surrounding self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a “breakaway province.” Taipei, on the other hand, has maintained its independence since 1949.
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Over the weekend, seven Chinese military jets entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to the Defense Ministry.
On Friday, 18 Chinese military jets entered the ADIZ, a buffer zone outside a country’s airspace where the government has the authority to ask approaching aircraft to identify themselves.
