China navy drills in Pacific as tension rises

SHANGHAI: Chinese naval forces have passed through waters south of Taiwan and carried out military exercises in the western Paciic, the latest in a series of military drills that self-ruled Taiwan has criticised as amounting to “intimidation.”

J-15 ighters took off from China’s sole operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, on Friday for training in the area to the east of the Bashi Channel, which runs between Taiwan and the Philippines, the oficial newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army reported on Saturday.

Chinese destroyers carried out offensive and defensive drills to test their capabilities, the PLA Daily said.

The Ministry of Defence also carried pictures of the exercises on its website on Saturday. China has been ramping up military displays in the area over the last week.

On Wednesday, the navy carried out live-ire drills in the Taiwan Strait in what state media said was a direct response to “provocations” by Taiwan.

Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing as Chinese territory, accused China of “sabre rattling,” and carried out its own live-ire exercises on Tuesday on two Taiwan islands close to China.

On Thursday, Chinese bombers lew around Taiwan in what the air force called a “sacred mission.”

Taiwan’s China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said China’s exercises, including the light by the bombers, amounted to “military intimidation.”

Taiwan is one of China’s most sensitive issues and a potential lashpoint. China has ramped up military exercises around the island over the past year.