China warns of more action after military drills near Taiwan

A series of Chinese military drills near Taiwan were designed to send a clear message to the self-ruled island and Beijing will take further steps if Taiwan independence forces persist in doing as they please, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Over the past year or so, Beijing has ramped up military drills around democratic Taiwan, including flying bombers and other military aircraft around the island. Mainland China also carried out drills in the sensitive Taiwan Strait last week.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its sacred territory and its hostility towards the island has grown after President Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party was elected two years ago.

Beijing has been issuing increasingly strident calls for Taiwan to toe the line, even as Tsai has pledged to maintain the status quo and keep the peace.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular press briefing the message the People’s Liberation Army was sending with its exercises was extremely clear.