As a warning, China sent fighter planes and warships, including its first aircraft carrier, to practice attacking Taiwan

• China held a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan on Monday.

• China employed a number of warships, as well as its first aircraft carrier, and dozens of aircraft.

• The ‘Joint Sword 2024-B’ exercise is a follow-up to China’s large-scale exercise earlier this year.

In a warning, The Chinese army surrounded Taiwan during a military exercise on Monday, demonstrating the country’s ability to blockade key ports, launch attacks and attack positions.

The exercise, a continuation of a large-scale exercise earlier this yearincluding fighter planes and naval and coast guard ships. Among the naval assets was China’s first aircraft carrier.

The Chinese Army, the People’s Liberation Army, announced the “Joint Sword-2024B”. exercises on Monday morning, with the Eastern Theater Command sending troops to conduct joint military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan and its outlying islands.

Chinese military media, citing a senior Captain Li Xi, spokesman for China’s PLA Eastern Theater Command, said Chinese troops from various service branches were engaged in joint exercises “concentrating on topics such as patrols in preparation for sea-to-air combat, blockades on key ports and areas, attacks on maritime and ground targets, as well as the joint conquest of comprehensive superiority.”

The purpose, the reports said, was to “test the joint operations capabilities of theater command forces.” Li also said the “exercise also serves as a stern warning” to Taiwan.

The drills came a few days after the celebration of Taiwan’s National Day and, according to China, were aimed at “resolutely” thwarting “separatist efforts for Taiwan’s independence.”

Taiwan “strong” convicted the exercises and called them ‘irrational and provocative’. His troops were mobilized to monitor the exercise.

The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense reported that between Sunday morning and Monday morning, 25 PLA aircraft, seven PLA Navy ships and four other ships were detected operating around Taiwan; 16 aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.

On Monday, a total of 72 aircraft were tracked, 57 of which entered the ADIZ, according to a Defense Ministry map, a record number of such raids in a single day. 125 missions were carried out, Taiwan said, including 90 in the ADIZ. The figures indicate that participating aircraft have performed multiple flights.

Monday evening, about 12 hours after “Joint Sword-2024B” began, China announced that the exercise had been completed.

Of the naval vessels involved, China highlighted this Aircraft Carrier Task Force CNS Liaoningand says it tested “ship-aircraft coordination, joint air suppression, and fire attacks on sea and ground targets.” The Liaoning was remarkable docked with China’s only other operating airline last week at Sanya Naval Base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. Chinese media shared images of the ship launching its J-15 fighter jets.

Maps shared by analysts and the Defense Ministry showed China’s navy and coast guard at work effectively surrounded the main island of Taiwan, simulating the blockade of key ports and areas. During the exercises, the Liaoning operated off the southeastern coast of the island, while aircraft conducted flights at the edge of Taiwan’s airspace.

An animation shared by the PLA showed how the training areas differed from an exercise in 2022 as well “Joint Sword-2024A,” which took place earlier this year after the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-tewho Beijing has repeatedly called a “separatist.”

The first half of the ‘Joint Sword’ exercise took place in May and was a strikingly large event designed to provide impetus unmistakable message to Taiwan about China’s military capabilities and continued willingness to use force against the island’s democracy. Beijing views Taiwan as its sovereign territory and has not ruled out using its growing military power to achieve unification.

Although China has previously conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, the growing number of military assets involved in these large-scale exercises and their frequency, as well as the almost daily provocations, indicate that Beijing is trying to normalize its presence in the areaintimidate the Taiwanese people, and Depleting Taipei’s military and resources.

In response to the Chinese military exercises Lai posted on X that China aimed to “undermine stability and the status quo and fail to meet global expectations.” While Taiwan “remains open to dialogue and exchange among Strasbourg citizens,” he said, the country is “determined to protect our free and democratic constitutional system.”

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