China eyes military exercise near Taiwan after US warship passes Taiwan Straits

Beijing

According to China's state-run Global Times, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) eastern theatre command dispatched naval and Air Forces to conduct joint patrols and combat exercises "in the waters and airspace southwest of Taiwan".

The state-run newspaper said the move came after "US warship transited the Taiwan Straits to provoke China concerning its sovereignty over the island again on Friday."

On Friday, the US 7th Fleet had said the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry had conducted a "routine" Taiwan Strait transit through international waters in "accordance with international law."

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The ship’s transit through the "Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific", it said. The Seventh Fleet in a statement said, "The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows.​"

Global Times quoting the PLA eastern theatre command said Chinese troops have been organised to monitor the US ship throughout the Taiwan Straits.

The PLA eastern theatre command reportedly sent its Navy and Air Force including bombers and early warning aircraft southwest of Taiwan Island.

The newspaper said it was done to "improve the integrated joint combat capabilities of the troops". The Chinese paper said the PLA is preparing for a "worst-case scenario".

China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province which it has said will be unified with the mainland by force if necessary. On Wednesday, Taiwan's fighter jets had practised landing on a highway as part of a live-fire military exercise.

The exercise was meant to simulate scenarios to defend the country against a supposed Chinese invasion. Chinese jets have repeatedly entered Taiwan's airspace in recent months with 380 incursions reported into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

(With inputs from Agencies)