The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday released an animation video titled Strangle, depicting its drills around the Taiwan island.
The PLA has conducted three joint military drills surrounding Taiwan over the past three years, each moving closer to the island.
The worse the provocations, the tighter the knot will be tied, the Eastern Theater Command claims in the video's description on social media post.
In August 2022, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made a provocative visit to China's Taiwan region in disregard of the Chinese side's stern warnings against it.
The PLA Eastern Theater Command responded by carrying out a series of joint combat exercises and trainings in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island from Aug 4 to 7 that year, and multiple formations of PLA bombers flew across the Taiwan Strait and over the island.
In April 2023, in disregard of China's strong opposition and solemn representation, the United States allowed Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip through the United States.
Again the PLA Eastern Theater Command responded to the provocative move by conducting multi-subject targeted drills code-named Joint Sword from April 8-10 of the year, in which multiple H-6K fighters carried out simulation attacks on key targets on the Taiwan Island.
Lai Ching-te, another DPP politician of Taiwan, made a "transit" trip to the U.S. later in August last year. The PLA Eastern Theater Command carried out joint naval and air combat readiness patrols around the island in response.
In February 2024, Taiwan's fatal expulsion of a fishing boat from Fujian Province in the waters of Kinmen area resulting in two deaths of four aboard.
As the video portrays, the China Coast Guard (CCG) launched regular law enforcement patrols in the waters of Xiamen-Kinmen area as part of efforts to protect fishermen's lives and property following the incident.
On May 20, 2024, Lai sent "a dangerous signal" of seeking Taiwan secession and making provocations to undermine cross-Strait peace and stability in his speech upon assuming the role of Taiwan region's new leader.
From May 23 to 24, 2024, the Eastern Theater Command conducted joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait, the north, south and east of Taiwan Island, and areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu, and Dongyin.
The two-day drills, code-named Joint Sword-2024A, served as a strong punishment for the separatist acts of Taiwan secessionists and a stern warning against the interference and provocation by external forces, according to Li Xi, spokesman of the Eastern Theater Command.
Lai's speech delivered on Oct 10 this year once again attempted to severe the historical connections between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, peddling various versions of "two states" fallacy, once again bearing his nature of separatist and his ill intention of escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait for his selfish political interest, as Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday.
The PLA Eastern Theater Command on Monday organized its land force, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct military drills in the Taiwan Strait and in areas to the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, said Li.
The Joint Sword-2024B drills focus on joint sea-air combat readiness patrols, blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, so as to test the joint real combat capabilities of the PLA soldiers.
The drills involve vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces, Li said.
The drills serve as a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities in Taiwan, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity, Li said.
Eastern Theater Command releases video on series of drills around Taiwan
