China says it has ‘successfully completed’ tasks around Taiwan and will regularly conduct patrols

A week after it fired several ballistic missiles over Taiwan as a part of unprecedented drills, China’s military announced it has “completed various tasks” around the self-ruled territory on Wednesday but did not elaborate on what these “tasks” are.

Beijing also warned it will continue to carry out “regular” patrols, training and preparations for combat in the direction of the Taiwan Strait.

China’s Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said it had “successfully completed various tasks and effectively tested the integrated combat capabilities of the troops”.

“Theatre forces will keep an eye on the changes in the situation in the Taiwan Strait, continue to carry out training and preparation for combat, organise regular combat readiness patrols in the direction of the Taiwan Strait, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” military officials said in a brief statement.

China unleashed an angry response that included showcasing its military might after US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the self-governed territory last week, with the unprecedented firing of ballistic missiles above Taipei over the weekend.

China further extended its military drills on Monday, sparking fears of an escalation towards conflict.

Officials in Taiwan have not immediately commented on China’s announcement of the completion of its “tasks”.

However, Taiwan’s defence ministry said at least 17 Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line on Wednesday.

A day earlier, Taiwan’s foreign minister said China was using the military drills as a strategy to brace for an invasion of the democratically governed island.

The Taiwanese ministry said its military was “at the ready, keeping our country safe” on Wednesday as it released a video of exercises by its armed forces and added that its troops were guarding their positions “24-7”.

It accused China of not stopping its “incursions” nearby as Taiwan said it is increasing its alertness level.

Some of the missiles fired by China last week flew directly over Taipei and circled skies and waters surrounding the nation over which China claims territorial ownership.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi called Ms Pelosi’s visit to the Pacific Ocean nation a “manic, irresponsible and highly irrational” action by the US.

On Wednesday, Chinese navy ships were active off both the east and west coasts of Taiwan, according to a source aware of the matter.

Around afternoon, the Chinese navy kept up with its activities near the median line, while fighter jets continued to fly close to the line.

In response, Taiwan sent its own aircraft and ships to monitor the situation.

“They are like flies,” the source said.

China’s state broadcaster said the military drills were aimed at blockades and resupplying logistics “under a complex electromagnetic environment to refine joint containment and control capabilities”.

It showed Chinese fighter jets scrambling and refuelling aircraft mid air along with the navy ships in the reported drills around Taiwan.

The tensions peaked last week, further straining the relationship between Washington and Beijing, which said it was immediately halting talks with the US on a number of issues, including the climate and military.

It also sanctioned Ms Pelosi and her direct family members for visiting Taiwan despite warnings.

She had called her visit to the island a show of “unwavering US commitment to supporting Taiwan’s democracy”.

According to the Pentagon, China will not try to invade Taiwan for at least the next two years, officials said in a fresh assessment on Monday.

China calls its bilateral ties with Taiwan an “internal matter” and maintains that it can bring the island under its control if it wants.

The Chinese Communist party administration released a white paper through state media on Wednesday morning where it stressed its intention to annex Taiwan by force if peaceful methods proved unsuccessful.

“We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification,” the official English-language version of the document said. “But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures,” said the white paper, titled “The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era”.

Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang, Andrew Hsia, departed for China in a pre-arranged trip to meet Taiwanese citizens engaged in business, despite regret from the Taiwanese administration.

He clarified he was not going to Beijing and did not have official meetings planned in China.