- China continues to put pressure on the autonomous island after large-scale exercises.
- The Communist Party says it will not give up control of Taiwan.
- MSA says the “shooting” will take place in a limited area near China.
BEIJING: The Chinese military began a live-fire exercise near Taiwan on Tuesday, keeping up pressure on the self-ruled island after holding large-scale drills and President Xi Jinping calling on troops to prepare for war.
The Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the island, but it claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will not relinquish control of it.
This month, it sent planes and warships around the island in what Beijing said was a “severe warning of separatist actions by Taiwan independence forces.”
The Maritime Safety Administration on Pingtan Island, east of the country, announced on Monday that a “shooting” would take place in a limited area close to the Chinese mainland, about 105 kilometers (66 miles) from Taiwan.
MSA said it would start at 9:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) and last for four hours in an area of about 150 square kilometers (60 square miles).
Pingtan is the closest point on mainland China to the main island of Taiwan.
Maritime authorities did not specify which Chinese force would carry out the live fire or its target.
In response to the drills, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it was closely monitoring China’s “military activities.”
Taipei said the drills may be part of Beijing’s “tactics to enhance its intimidation in conjunction with the dynamics in the Taiwan Strait.”