China Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near Taiwan for 6th Day... Taiwan Responds with Artillery Exercises

Chinese Military Encirclement Exercise Around Taiwan
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Tensions between China and Taiwan continue as China conducts joint military exercises around Taiwan following its encirclement drills.

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese military, which oversees Taiwan, announced on its official WeChat account in the afternoon that "live joint exercises were conducted in the sea and airspace around Taiwan," emphasizing "joint blockade and joint rear support." The Chinese military did not provide detailed information about the exercises.

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense reported that as of 5 p.m. on the same day, it detected 45 Chinese military aircraft and 10 warships operating near the Taiwan Strait, with 16 fighter jets, including 8 Su-30s, crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese military stated that it is monitoring the situation closely, strictly observing the enemy's movements, and responding appropriately. Earlier, the Eastern Theater Command announced that on the 8th, it conducted anti-submarine drills and live-fire naval exercises.

The Lianyungang Maritime Safety Administration announced in the afternoon that live-fire exercises will be conducted in the southern Yellow Sea from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. between the 11th and 13th, prohibiting vessel entry. According to the coordinates released by the Maritime Safety Administration, the firing zone is located in the waters between Lianyungang City and Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province.

Previously, the Chinese military has been conducting live-fire exercises in the waters off Lianyungang City from the 6th to the 15th, and for one month starting from the 8th, in the Bohai Sea near Dalian Port, located north of the Shandong Peninsula and Liaodong Peninsula.

In response, Taiwan launched large-scale artillery drills on the same day. According to Taiwan Central News Agency, 38 units of 155mm howitzers fired shells at targets in the open sea from a coastal training ground in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan. The 38 howitzers were deployed along a 1 km stretch of the training ground's beach. On the 11th, 40 units of 155mm howitzers are scheduled to conduct similar exercises.