The Chinese Air Force has stated that the country's fighter jets, reconnaissance planes and bombers have taken part in “combat drills” around Taiwan as part of a series of exercises “to strengthen its capacity to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Speaking at a monthly press conference, Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said that the Chinese military had introduced into service the DF-26 intermediate range ballistic missiles, dubbed “Guam killer” in Chinese media for its ability to attack the US naval base in the Pacific Ocean both with a conventional or nuclear weapon.
“The series of operations we are carrying out is directed against Taiwan independence forces and activities in the island. Their purpose is to prevent that the Taiwan independence forces' plot damages the welfare of the Taiwanese people. If the independence forces continue to wantonly take rash actions, we will take further action,” Qian said.
While Chinese state media blamed the drills on Taiwan, calling them a direct response to its “provocations,” Taipei accused China of “saber rattling.”
Taiwan and China Practice for Cross-Strait War With Live Fire Drills
Last week, China's Air force also confirmed that nuclear-capable H-6K bombers had conducted a “sacred” military patrol mission, circling Taiwan.
“China has deliberately manipulated [the exercise] to pressure and…
