China's military has begun three days of military drills aimed at rehearsing the encirclement of Taiwan. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and called the operation a "stern warning" to Taiwan's government. The drills began just hours after President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a trip to the United States.
The Taiwanese Defence Ministry reported that 42 Chinese military planes and eight ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, which is an unofficial dividing line between Chinese and Taiwanese territory.
Chinese state media said that the military drills would "simultaneously organise patrols and advances around Taiwan island, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture". It added that China's military had deployed "long-range rocket artillery, naval destroyers, missile boats, air force fighters, bombers, jammers and refuellers".
Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, but China sees the island as a breakaway province that will eventually be brought under Beijing's control - by force if necessary. China's President Xi Jinping has said that "reunification" with Taiwan "must be fulfilled". The "encirclement" is being seen as a response to Taiwan's President Tsai meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday.
