PLA concludes joint combat exercises surrounding Taiwan Island

The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army has concluded its two-day joint combat exercises surrounding Taiwan Island, according to its spokesman.

Senior Colonel Shi Yi said in a statement on Wednesday evening that forces of the Eastern Theater Command have completed all designated tasks set for the exercises on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The exercises tested the troops' joint operations capabilities. Forces of the command will continue to remain on high alert at all times and to strengthen combat readiness with intensive training, with determination to thwart any separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence", he said.

According to a video clip published by Shi's command, a group of H-6K strategic bombers, which were carrying real ammunition, flew across the Bashi Channel and entered airspace far from China's shore to conduct rounds of simulated precision strikes against major military targets in eastern Taiwan.

To facilitate the bombers' operation, several batches of fighter jets, early-warning planes and refueling aircraft to form combat groups to establish air dominance and clear routes for bombers, the command said.

In an earlier statement, Shi said a carrier strike group led by the CNS Shandong aircraft carrier conducted assault drills with other naval and air units in the air and waters to the east of Taiwan Island. The drills included maneuvers such as vessel-aircraft coordination, regional air dominance, and strikes against land and sea targets, the spokesman added.

On the ground, the command's ground force sent its multiple-rocket launchers to fire shells on mock Taiwan targets including major ports and energy infrastructure. The long-distance strikes aimed at testing the unit's capabilities of controlling Taiwan's transport routes of fuels, cutting the island's supply channels, and blocking its sea lanes of warships.

Tao Chenglong, an officer of an artillery brigade taking part in the live-fire exercise, was quoted by China Central Television as saying that his troops collaborated with air, rocket and other forces to improve accuracy of strikes.