BEIJING (AP) — China said it carried out “precision missile strikes” in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday as part of military exercises that raised tensions in the region to their highest level in decades.
Earlier, China announced that military exercises of its navy, air force and other services were underway in six zones around Taiwan, which Beijing claims is its territory, which will be annexed by force if necessary.
The drills were sparked by a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week and aim to publicize China’s threat to attack the self-ruled island republic. Along with its moves to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, China has long threatened military retaliation against the island’s moves to assert its de facto independence with the support of key allies, including the U.S.
“Long-range live-fire precision missile strikes were carried out on selected targets in the eastern part of the Taiwan Strait,” the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army, the military wing of the ruling Communist Party, said in a statement on its social network media platform.
“The expected result was achieved,” he added. No other details were given.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said it tracked the launch of Chinese Dongfeng-series missiles, which began around 1:56 p.m. Thursday. It said in a statement that it used various early warning surveillance systems to track missile launches that were aimed at waters northeast and southwest of Taiwan.
Earlier in the day, Taiwa’s defense ministry said its forces were on standby and monitoring the situation, while seeking to avoid an escalation of tensions. Civil defense exercises were also conducted and notices were posted at designated air raid shelters.
China’s “irrational behavior” aims to change the status quo and disrupt regional peace and stability, the ministry said.
“The three branches of the service will join forces with all people to jointly protect national security and territorial integrity,” while adapting to the evolving situation, the statement said.
China’s official Xinhua news agency said the drills were joint operations focusing on “blockade, attack on sea targets, strike on land targets and airspace control”.
Although the US has not said it will intervene, it has forward-deployed bases and assets in the area, including aircraft carrier battle groups. US law requires the government to treat threats to Taiwan, including blockades, as matters of “serious concern”.
The drills are due to take place from Thursday to Sunday and include missile strikes on targets in the seas north and south of the island in echoes of the last major Chinese military exercises aimed at intimidating Taiwan’s leaders and voters, held in 1995 and 1996.
Although China did not provide information on the number of troops and military assets involved, the drills appear to be the largest to be held geographically close to Taiwan.
The exercises involved troops from the navy, air force, missile force, strategic support force and logistics support force, Xinhua reported.
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