China holds large-scale joint strike drills aimed at Taiwan

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The Chinese military has been holding large-scale joint combat strike drills since Sunday, sending war planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan. Both the Chinese and Taiwanese defense ministries have confirmed the drills. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said Monday morning that China’s People’s Liberation Army flew 57 warplanes and four ships toward Taiwan over the course of 24 hours between 6 a.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. China claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island, which split from the mainland in 1949 after a civil war. The exercises coincide with a visiting delegation of German lawmakers, who landed in Taiwan on Monday. Among the lawmakers is the head of the German Parliament’s Defense Committee.