SHANGHAI, April 2. /TASS/. China's military has successfully completed the Strait Thunder-2025A exercise around Taiwan, according to Shi Yi, the spokesman for the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army.
"The PLA's Eastern Theater Command has successfully accomplished all tasks in the joint exercise around Taiwan Island and has comprehensively tested the joint combat capabilities of its troops," Shi Yi stated in a message posted on the WeChat social network.
He stated that the forces of the Eastern Theater Command are always on high alert and are continuously enhancing their military training. They are "determined to put an end to all separatist activities of Taiwan's independence supporters."
On April 1 and 2, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. The military carried out combat patrols near the island and practiced measures to establish comprehensive control over it, blocking key routes and areas. Long-range artillery was used to conduct precision strikes on simulated targets, including seaports and energy infrastructure. Additionally, the PLA engaged the aircraft carrier Shandong to the east of the island.
Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when remnants of the Kuomintang forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), fled to the island after their defeat in the civil war. Since then, Taipei has retained the flag and certain other symbols of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. According to Beijing's official position, which is supported by most countries, including Russia, Taiwan is regarded as one of the regions of the People's Republic of China. Recently, the relationship between the Chinese central government and the administration in Taipei has become particularly strained.