Beijing responds to US lawmakers’ Taiwan visit with joint forces patrol
- Senators arrived on board a military aircraft, prompting rebuke and added pressure with ‘combat readiness’ drill near Taiwan Strait
- It is the first time the PLA has combined different forces into a single exercise which included four fighter jets and two surveillance planes
According to a brief notice issued by the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, the patrol was conducted near the Taiwan Strait to further improve the joint combat capability of “multiple military services and branches”.
“This military operation organised by the theatre forces is aimed at the serious wrong words and deeds of relevant countries on the Taiwan issue and the activities of the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces. It is a necessary measure to safeguard national sovereignty,” theatre command spokesman Shi Yi said.
It was the first time mainland authorities described an operation against Taiwan as a joint combat readiness patrol, indicating different forces were involved in the exercise.
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Taiwan denounces mainland China for ‘over the top’ flights into island’s air defence zone
The Taiwanese defence ministry said six mainland Chinese military aircraft entered its southwestern air defence zone on Tuesday, including four J-16 fighter jets and two surveillance planes.