China has said military exercises around the contested island would continue. Several days of activity have disrupted shipping and air travel, with Taiwan declaring the move amounts to a blockade.
China’s state-owned TV station China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the exercises are focused on “anti-submarine and sea assault operations.”
While announcing the manoeuvres to the north, south-west, and east of the self-ruled island last Tuesday, China had originally promised their conclusion on Sunday. However, currently, no formal end has been announced. Some commentators on Chinese media have said that the military exercises could become the new normal.
“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army continued to carry out practical joint exercises and training in the sea and airspace around Taiwan island, focusing on organizing joint anti-submarine and sea assault operations,” the Chinese military’s eastern command said in a statement.
Beijing has deployed fighter jets, warships and ballistic missiles in what experts have described as practice for a blockade and, potentially, an ultimate invasion of the self-ruled island that China claims as its territory.
Chinese news agency Xinhua had previously reported that the military drills were supposed to last from Thursday to Sunday. But neither China nor Taiwan has confirmed the conclusion of the exercises, with some Chinese commentators claiming that the drills could become commonplace going forward.