China Conducts Military Drills Near Taiwan as Warning to 'Separatist Forces' - Beijing

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The Chinese air force and navy conducted joint patrols and exercises around Taiwan on Saturday as a warning to the "separatist forces of the island," Shi Yi, the spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said.

The drills came after Taiwanese Vice President and presidential candidate Lai Ching-te wrapped up his trip to Paraguay, during which made transit stops in New York and San Francisco. China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the transit through the United States and condemned Lai's visit to the country.

"The PLA Eastern Theater Command organized joint maritime and air combat readiness patrols around the island of Taiwan on August 19, and conducted maritime and air force drills," Shi said in a statement published on WeChat.

The Chinese military practiced coordinating maneuvers of vessels and aircraft and intercepting control communications, as well as tested real combat capabilities during joint operations, the statement read.

"This is a serious warning to the separatist forces of the island colluding with foreign forces for the purpose of provocation," the official said.

Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin dodged giving a straightforward answer to a question whether China will conduct large-scale exercises near Taiwan following Lai's stop in the US, while saying that Beijing will take effective measures to protect its sovereignty. Last month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the US to refrain from receiving Lai, arguing that the visit would violate the "one-China" principle and the provisions of the three joint China-US communiques.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan — a territory with its own elected government — maintains that it is an autonomous country, but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.