China Deploys Aircraft Carrier, Conducts “Simulations” of “Strikes” in Exercises Around Taiwan

10 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The Chinese Army has deployed an aircraft carrier on Monday and has carried out “simulations” of a “blockade” and “attacks” around the island of Taiwan, within the framework of maneuvers that began on Saturday in response to the meeting staged on the last week by the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing Wen, with the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, harshly criticized by Beijing.

The Chinese Ministry of Defense has specified in a statement published on its website that the maneuvers continue “in the surroundings of the island of Taiwan” and has indicated that “they are carried out in close coordination” and that “the application has been simulated of joint blockade and control and attacks”.

Thus, he stated that during Monday’s session “the strength of the troops with the support of the joint combat system” is being “analyzed” and he noted that the aircraft carrier ‘Shandong’ has been deployed in the area for the first time since the beginning of the ‘Joint Sword’ maneuvers.

According to information collected by the Chinese newspaper ‘China Daily’, multiple groups of H-6K fighters carrying live ammunition and that have had the support of other combat aircraft, have carried out simulated attacks against targets in Taiwan.

Hours earlier, the Taiwan Air Force Command reported that 70 combat aircraft and eleven Chinese Army ships had approached its air and sea space. Specifically, 35 of the Chinese fighters would have entered the air defense identification zone in southwest Taiwan, as detailed by the country’s Ministry of Defense in a message on the social network Twitter.

The escalation of tensions in the region began with the trip to the island of the then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, in August of last year, although they have rebounded after the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy. Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the territory under its sovereignty.