Firing drills, air incursions: China encircles Taiwan in a bid to choke the island
India Today
China is trying to create a blockade around key shipping ports in Taiwan with its military operations.
China’s firing drills using land-based missiles and fighter jets around six zones encircling Taiwan are all aimed at cutting off the island, warning ships and aircraft against operating in the area.
China began aggressive military exercises after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit that Beijing had opposed. The assault around these zones was intended to create a blockade around key shipping ports: Kaohsiung, Taichung, Taipei, Keelung, Suao and Hualien around the island.
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The aggressive maneuvers also included missiles landing in Japan’s exclusive economic zone that falls in China’s designated area, raising a renewed suspicion about China’s larger game plan.
The exercises are being dubbed as the biggest by China across the Taiwan Strait separating the two countries. The zone in which the fire drills are happening is barely 20 kms away from Taiwan’s coastline.
In their bid to create a blockade, the Chinese have been using the J-20 stealth fighter jets, H-6K bombers, J-11 fighter jets, Type 052D destroyer, Type 056A corvette and DF-11 short-range ballistic missiles.
