China Practices 'Sealing Off' Taiwan On Day 3 Of Military Drills, US Deploys Naval Destroyer

Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 vessels around Taiwan.

Beijing on Monday simulated "sealing off" Taiwan in maritime drills

Source : Getty

New Delhi: Beijing on Monday simulated "sealing off" Taiwan in maritime drills in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's recent trip to the United States, AFP reported citing a military statement. 

Chinese fighter jets carried out “simulated strikes” near the self-governed island during the exercises, which also included the Shandong aircraft carrier, the Chinese military said on Monday, while the United States deployed a naval destroyer into Beijing-claimed waters in a show of force.

After two days of exercises that included simulating targeted strikes on Taiwan and encirclement of the island, the Chinese military said the wargames also included "sealing" it off, according to AFP.

According to the military, one of China's two aircraft carriers also took part in the exercise.

Earlier, China claimed that fighter jets carrying "live ammunition" had launched "simulated strikes" near Taiwan, and that its Shandong aircraft carrier was participating in the continuing exercises.

“Multiple batches of H-6K fighters carrying live ammunition … carried out multiple waves of simulated strikes on important targets on Taiwan Island,” the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 vessels around Taiwan and its armed forces were monitoring the situation to respond to these activities.

"70 PLA aircraft and 11 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities," Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

"35 of the detected aircraft(SU-30*8, J-11*4, J-10*6, J-16*8, TB-001 UCAV, Y-9EW, Y-8 ASW, J-15*4, CH-4 UCAV, KJ-500 AEW&C) had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest and southeast ADIZ, flight paths as illustrated," it added.

Also, the United States, which had repeatedly called for China to show restraint, on Monday sent the guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius through contested parts of the South China Sea.

"This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea," the US Navy said in a statement.

The USS Milius sailed about 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) away from the location where Chinese fighter jets and warships were carrying out a third day of military drills around Taiwan.