By Zhao Lei

   Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement on Monday afternoon that his command has completed the «Joint Sword-2024B» exercise, which comprehensively tested its forces’ joint combat capabilities.

   All of the command’s forces are always on high alert and will continue to conduct intensive training and drills to firmly thwart Taiwan separatists’ attempts, according to him.

   The daylong exercise started early on Monday morning when the PLA Eastern Theater Command organized its ground force, naval, air force and rocket force units to conduct drills in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of Taiwan Island.

   In a statement, Li said the drills involve vessels and aircraft closing in on the island from multiple directions and mock assaults by joint forces.

   The operation was intended to hone troops’ capabilities in joint sea-air patrol, the blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on naval and land targets, and the seizure of battlefield superiority.

   The drills were a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities in Taiwan, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity, the spokesman said.

   Video clips published by the command show that several types of advanced hardware were used in the exercise, including the PHL-191 multiple rocket launcher, J-10C fighter jet, YY-20 aerial refueling plane, Type 052D guided missile destroyer as well as DF-15 ballistic missile.

   A carrier strike group led by the CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier also took part in the exercise, performing ship-aircraft coordination, aerial suppression and joint fire strike drills with other ground, air and naval forces in the waters and air to the east of Taiwan Island.

   CNS Liaoning is the PLA’s first aircraft carrier and has served in the PLA Navy for more than 10 years.

   A remarkable element in the operation was that this has become the first time for the J-20 stealth fighter jet to be publicly shown in any action related to Taiwan.

   Meanwhile, all of the H-6K bomber aircraft involved in the exercise carried real missiles.

   Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the military operation was a firm and mighty punishment for Lai Ching-te’s repeated nonsense of «Taiwan independence» and a righteous act to safeguard the national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

   «The peace will never coexist with ‘Taiwan independence’. If the Lai administration goes on with its separatist attempts and provocations, it will lead the Taiwan people to a disastrous abyss,» he said in a news release.

   Chen noted that the PLA’s move was targeted at separatists and foreign interference forces rather than Taiwan compatriots. He urged Taiwan people to clearly understand the exceptional danger and wickedness of «Taiwan independence», fight against Taiwan separatists and foreign interference forces, and join hands with their mainland compatriots to strive for national reunification and rejuvenation.

   Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that there will be no peace in the presence of «Taiwan independence» and Taiwan separatists’ provocations will definitely be met with counterstrikes.

   Senior Colonel Fu Zhengnan, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said that Lai’s recent speech was «extremely deceptive and dangerous» and inherited the insidious pursuit of «Taiwan independence» of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

   «It was Lai who uttered provocative words in the first place, and then came the necessary punitive measures by the PLA. The ‘Joint Sword-2024B’ is a comprehensive representation of China’s will and determination to punish Taiwan separatists and seeking for reunification,» Fu said.

   The researcher noted that the exercise features more attention to real combat scenarios and that troops can shift from training to actual combat at any time.

   He said the operation would act like a sword and a hammer above the Lai administration as a warning that «there will be no peace and development if you make separatist moves». Each time separatists make provocations, the PLA will conduct a tighter blockade of Taiwan Island, according to him.

   Professor Zhang Chi, a researcher at the PLA National Defense University, said that the exercise was tasked with sending a clear, plain message to Taiwan.

   «The drills to the north of the island were pointed at the chief culprits of ‘Taiwan independence’ and acted as a warning shot to the Lai administration. Meanwhile, the actions taking place to the south of Taiwan were meant to deter those inside the home base of Taiwan separatists,» he explained.

   Zhang added that the drills made to the island’s east were tasked with simulating the efforts to cut the imports of resources, intercept support attempts from foreign powers, and block the flee routes of Taiwan separatists.