China has concluded two days of military exercises around Taiwan in which it simulated bomber attacks and practiced ship boarding. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense provided details of the increase in the number of Chinese military aircraft and ships involved.
China's state-run military channel said the exercise had ended. A commentary in the People's Liberation Army's official daily newspaper said they lasted two days, from May 23 to 24, as previously announced.
China, which claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its territory, began the "Joint Sword - 2024A" drills three days after Lai Ching-te became Taiwan's president - a man Beijing says is a "separatist".
Beijing said the exercises were "punishment" for Lai's inauguration speech, in which he said the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were "not subject to each other", which China saw as a declaration that the two sides were separate countries.
Lai has repeatedly offered to negotiate with China, but has been refused. He said only the people of Taiwan could decide their future and rejected Beijing's claims to sovereignty. Taiwan's government condemned the exercises and said it would not bow to Chinese pressure.
On May 24, 46 Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two countries.
The planes, including advanced Su-30 fighter jets and nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, have flown into the strait as well as down into the Bashi Strait, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Over the past four years, China has regularly organized military activities around Taiwan, including large-scale military exercises in 2022 and 2023. /BGNES
