<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China's military on Monday dispatched air, navy and rocket troops to conduct joint military drills around the island of Taiwan, a move Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/taiwan" rel="" target="" title="Taiwan "><span>Taiwan </span></a><span>said it was placing its forces on alert and called the Chinese government “the biggest destroyer of peace.”</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at US arms sales to the territory and a statement by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, saying its military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that the world’s second-biggest economy says must come under its rule. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-shooting-anthony-albanese-royal-commission/be7e3624-a42e-4160-acae-492c3de66c17"><strong><span>Prime Minister rejects plea from Bondi shooting victims' families</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the Chinese military did not mention the United States and Japan in its statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a post on X that rapid response exercises were underway, with forces on high alert to defend the island. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a separate statement, it said it had deployed appropriate forces in response, conducting combat readiness drills.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/chinese-military-stages-drills-taiwan-to-warn/e23bd311-48e1-4157-9f85-1fb91b9703f8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“The Chinese Communist Party’s targeted military exercises further confirm its nature as an aggressor and the biggest destroyer of peace,” the ministry said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/legionnaires-disease-outbreak-sydney-cbd-clarence-street-wynyard-nsw/9e906b0f-91c5-407e-93df-e67ea1367670" rel="" target="" title=" Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Sydney CBD grows"><strong><span> Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Sydney CBD grows</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokesperson of China's People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command, said the drills would be conducted in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shi said the activities will focus on sea-air combat readiness patrol, “joint seizure of comprehensive superiority” and blockades on key ports. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was also the first large-scale military drill where the command publicly mentioned one of the goals was “all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“It is a stern warning against ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Shi said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when a civil war brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan. The island has operated since then with its own government, though the mainland’s government claims it as sovereign territory.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Live firing exercises scheduled for Tuesday</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The command said it was using fighters, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles in coordination with long-range rocket launches to conduct drills in the sea and airspace in the middle areas of the Taiwan Strait on Monday, focusing on striking mobile ground targets. They are intended to test the troops' capabilities of precision strikes on key targets, it said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It also said major military drills were scheduled to happen between 8am and 6pm on Tuesday, saying it would organise live firing activities then, and its exercises would cover five areas around the island.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The command released themed posters about the drills online accompanied by provocative wording. </span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2024/12/29/08/15/today-in-history-december-29-what-happened-on-this-day-in-pictures"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" 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class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One poster depicted two shields with the Great Wall alongside three military aircraft and two ships. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Its social media post said the drills were about the “Shield of Justice, Smashing Illusion," adding that any foreign interlopers or separatists touching the shields would be eliminated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week, Beijing imposed sanctions against 20 US defense-related companies and 10 executives, a week after Washington announced large-scale arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If approved by the US Congress, it would be the largest-ever American weapons package to the self-ruled territory.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under US federal law in place for many years, Washington is obligated to assist Taipei with its defense, a point that has become increasingly contentious with China. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US and Taiwan had formal diplomatic relations until 1979, when President Jimmy Carter’s administration recognised and established relations with Beijing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-is-helping-china-to-prepare-for-a-potential-invasion-of-taiwan-london-think-tank-says/041875d4-3ebf-49bf-89ea-48ef6107c66e"><strong><span>Russia is 'helping China to prepare for a potential invasion of Taiwan'</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Taiwanese army on high alert</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Monday's drills heightened tensions on both sides. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Karen Kuo, spokesperson for the Taiwanese president's office, said the operation was undermining the stability and security of the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region and openly challenging international law and order.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“Our country strongly condemns the Chinese authorities for disregarding international norms and using military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries.” she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Beijing sends warplanes and navy vessels toward the island on a near-daily basis, and in recent years it has stepped up the scope and scale of these exercises. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In October, the Taiwanese government said it would accelerate the building of a “Taiwan Shield” or “T-Dome” air defense system in the face of the military threat from China.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The military tensions came a day after Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said he hoped the Taiwan Strait would be associated with peace and prosperity, instead of “crashing waves and howling winds," during a trip to Shanghai.</span></div></div>