Mainland Chinese forces begin military exercises around Taiwan 3 days after Lai speech

The People’s Liberation Army has launched a two-day exercise around Taiwan, three days after William Lai Ching-te was sworn in as Taiwanese leader.

The joint drill includes mainland Chinese army, navy, air force and rocket forces, according to the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command on Thursday.

The PLA said the exercises will focus on naval and air combat readiness patrols, seizing battlefield control, precise strikes of crucial targets, as well as warship and aircraft patrols near the island to “test the joint combat and real combat capabilities of the theatre forces”.