China Holds First-Ever , Military Drill Simulating a , Full-Scale Invasion of Taiwan.<br />BBC reports that China has opened two days of military <br />drills near Taiwan, calling the exercises "strong <br />punishment" for the self-ruled nation's "separatist acts.".<br />BBC reports that China has opened two days of military <br />drills near Taiwan, calling the exercises "strong <br />punishment" for the self-ruled nation's "separatist acts.".<br />News of the military exercises come <br />just three days after Taiwanese <br />President William Lai was inaugurated. .<br />News of the military exercises come <br />just three days after Taiwanese <br />President William Lai was inaugurated. .<br />Taiwan's defense ministry called the Chinese military drill <br />"irrational provocations," while deploying naval, air <br />and ground forces to "defend the island's sovereignty.".<br />According to Taiwanese military officials, <br />the latest Chinese drills are the first <br />simulated full-scale attack on the island. .<br />Maps released by China's People's Liberation <br />Army (PLA) showed that the exercises were <br />taking place all around Taiwan's main island. .<br />For the first time, the drills also targeted the Taiwanese islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin, all which lie near to the Chinese coast. .<br />According to the PLA, the drills are focused on <br />conducting joint sea-air combat-readiness <br />operations and precision strikes on critical targets.<br />The exercises will also run integrated operations <br />inside and outside the island to determine the <br />"joint real combat capabilities" of Tawian's forces.<br />China's foreign ministry defended the drills <br />as a "necessary and legitimate move" to <br />safeguard national sovereignty.<br />I need to stress that Taiwan is an <br />inalienable part of China's territory. <br />This is both a fact based on <br />history and the true status quo. <br />This will not change in the future. <br />Taiwan independence is doomed to fail, Wang Wenbin, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, via BBC
