China carried out assault drills near Taiwan on Tuesday, Reuters reported, conducting exercises with warships and jets southwest and southeast of the island.
China called the exercises a response to “external interference” and “provocations.” In a short statement released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the country said the dispatch of assault teams in exercises close to Taiwan involved “joint fire assault and other drills using actual troops.”
A source familiar with Taiwan’s security planning told Reuters that Beijing’s exercise was a “capturing air supremacy” drill involving advanced J-16 fighters.
“In addition to seeking air supremacy over Taiwan, they have also been conducting frequent electronic reconnaissance and electronic interference operations,” the anonymous person said.
The goal of this is believed to be for China to gather electronic signals from US and Japanese aircraft so that they can “paralyze reinforcing aircraft including F-35s in a war.”
China’s Claim on Taiwan
China has long claimed Taiwan as its own as part of its “One-China Principle.” However, Taiwan and its allies, including the United States, have strongly opposed this policy.
Just recently, the US approved the first arms sale to Taiwan during the Biden administration. China did not take it lightly, saying that the move “harms China’s sovereignty and security interests” and “violates international law.”
China then warned that it is prepared to “resolutely take proper and necessary countermeasures.”