China on Friday began a second day of joint military exercises to test its ability to seize and control key areas around democratic Taiwan. According to Beijing, exercises were intended to ‘punish’ the island’s new president.
The Chinese military continued to conduct its Joint Sword-2024A exercises around Taiwan to test its ability “to jointly take control of the battlefield and conduct joint attacks, and to take control of crucial areas,” it said. senior colonel Li Xi. a spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command.
A day earlier, China launched the drills – believed to be the largest since April last year – involving dozens of warships and fighter jets carrying live missiles practicing mock attacks around Taiwan, which Beijing said was “strong punishment for separatist acts”. ”
