PLA wraps up military drills around Taiwan

The People's Liberation Army concluded its joint military drills around Taiwan, demonstrating a firm resolve to thwart "Taiwan independence" separatists and external intervention, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The PLA Eastern Theater Command has completed "Justice Mission 2025" drills and tested its integrated joint operations capabilities, said Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesman for the command, in a statement. The joint drills, which began on Monday morning, involved the command's Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force units, and featured encirclement maneuvers and live-fire exercises.

"The command will keep strengthening combat readiness with arduous training, resolutely thwart the attempts of 'Taiwan independence' separatists and external intervention, and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Li said.

Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that the PLA's military drills around Taiwan were a stern warning to both "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and foreign forces interfering in the region. She added the drills were both necessary and justified to safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Zhang condemned the Democratic Progressive Party authorities for "their relentless pursuit of a 'Taiwan independence' agenda, their unprincipled courting of foreign powers, and their undermining of Taiwan's own interests". She reaffirmed the Chinese mainland's resolve to counter any separatist actions and external interference.

Lai Ching-te's provocative and militaristic attempts to seek "independence" have come at the expense of Taiwan's economic development and the well-being of its people, severely damaging cross-Strait relations and threatening peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Zhang said.

"The exercises were aimed at protecting the core interests of the Chinese nation and safeguarding the fundamental interests of the people of Taiwan," she added, urging Taiwan people to recognize the dangers posed by separatist forces.

Giving the example of the DPP authorities claiming that the barriers to cross-Strait exchanges lie on the mainland, Zhang said its obstinate separatist stance and collusion with external forces are the root causes of instability in the Taiwan Strait, describing the DPP authorities as "destroyers of peace", "manufacturers of crises", and "instigators of war".

Regarding concerns raised by countries such as Japan, Australia and some European countries over the drills, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China has already lodged serious diplomatic representations.

"This is a blatant distortion of right and wrong, highly hypocritical, and China firmly opposes it," Lin said, emphasizing that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and brooks no interference from any external forces.

Lin also expressed appreciation for countries and organizations that reaffirmed their adherence to the one-China principle, and supported China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity following the announcement of countermeasures and the military exercises.

Recent media polls in Taiwan indicate that over half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the Lai authorities. Since taking office, Lai has intensified efforts to obstruct cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, pushing for economic "decoupling" and severing supply chains between the mainland and Taiwan, according to Zhang.

"Lai has pandered to foreign powers without restraint, allowed them free rein, and recklessly squandered the hard-earned money of Taiwan people on foreign weapons, pushing Taiwan into a dangerous situation fraught with the risk of conflict," she said.

Contact the writers at lishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn