SHANGHAI, August 26. /TASS/. The People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) recently conducted exercises in the airspace and at sea around the island of Taiwan, the PLA Eastern Theater Command said on its official account in the WeChat messaging service on Friday.
"Recently, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted exercises at sea and in the airspace by various arms and services for increasing combat readiness, patrolling function and ability to operate in real combat conditions," the post reads. The exact time of these exercises is not mentioned.
According to the statement, these exercises were a response to "a change in the situation in the Taiwan Strait."
"The Eastern Theater Command’s troops will continue to train personnel for combat operations and will resolutely defend the sovereignty of the state, security, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," the report said.
Since early August, China's military has been conducting a series of military exercises along its coast amid soaring tensions in the Taiwan Strait, triggered by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei on August 2-3. Immediately after this visit, the Chinese army conducted large-scale military drills, including live rocket launches in six zones around Taiwan.